Great time in church today. I spoke on 'the Secret...of Contentment'.
We see a society striving for contentment; happiness; fulfilment. Looking for the next relationship...next holiday etc. ‘What have we got to look forward to next?’
The world strives for ‘the secret’ to happiness...to contentment.
There is a secret to contentment and it is something that I believe the Apostle Paul shares very clearly with us in the book of Philippians.
Philippians 4:11-13 (Amplified)
Contentment is something that can be a tremendous blessing when attained. The flipside - the lack of contentment can be a powerful negative force upon the life of anyone.
Like love, faithfulness, hope, joy and peace, ‘Contentment’ continues to grow when it is used and shared. It is not something when obtained we keep to ourselves. If we do...we lose it! Selfish living.
Proverbs 19:23 - The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble
1 Timothy 6:6 - But Godliness with contentment is great gain
Hebrews 13:5 - Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you
Here’s the secret...
(13) I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency!]
Three ways to help us attain contentment and three battles we face to maintain contentment.
1) We need to attend Class
Paul states that contentment can be learned. He himself can and did learn it.
Vs 11 states that he has learned to be content in all circumstances, and in Vs 12, Paul says he learned the secret of being content.
He has learned contentment in all circumstances because he has been in all circumstances.
What has Paul learned? He has learned that God will provide.
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Paul has also learned to rely on the strength that God provides. When Paul says that he can do all things, he means that in all the circumstances he finds himself in, God’s strength is full and sufficient!
Paul once describes a “thorn in the flesh,” a physical experience he wants removed. However, God’s answer to Paul is “my grace is sufficient for you.”
Paul’s thorn taught him to rely on God’s provision, whether for material or physical needs.
2) We must have a Cause
Philippians 1:20-25 - (20) I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. (21) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (22) If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! (23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far
I believe to have contentment we must have a Cause.
Paul had a mission, to take the Gospel anywhere he could. To complete his mission, he would do whatever was needed, endure whatever circumstances came his way.
Jesus was born for a cause, that CAUSE was to restore this world back to God. You and I also were born for a cause, and our connection to the world is that same cause, and it’s the cause of the King and of the Kingdom.
The “cause” is always about someone else...not about ME. Living for Him and to lift the lives of others!
3) We must have something to Cherish
We were ‘made’ to worship. If we don’t worship God, we will end up worshipping something/someone else. Why? The human heart is made to worship, but it is made to worship God. Nothing else fits!
Once we cherish God, all the other things that would try to grab our attention fall into their proper perspective. We see things as they really are.
Only true contentment comes when we cherish, worship the one true God.
Many challenges await us on our journey to contentment. Three significant challenges to overcome are:
1) We must not fall prey to Comparison
We must avoid making Comparisons. Comparing my situation and/or problems with others’ situations will never help, and almost always hurt.
How can we overcome comparisons? Comparisons are defeated through thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:6 – Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Thankfulness will remind you and me that we truly are rich and, thus, will help us fight off comparisons.
2) We must remember we are in a Conflict
Spiritual Conflict is real. Satan is the god of this world, and he will use whatever this world has to offer to try to wound, defeat or discourage us.
A discontented Christian is no threat to him. Satan cannot defeat you, but he can make you ineffective. Discontentment is a powerful method for immobilising us.
2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 - The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
3) Quit Complaining!
Grumbling is...to complain in a surly manner, to mutter discontentedly
Do we ever mutter discontentedly? We all have! But for most of us we don’t allow this spirit to characterise our lives.
We have all had our grumbling moments – but there is a difference in having an occasional moan and being a grumbler – the consequences differ as well from having an occasional whinge and actually being a person who grumbles as a course of nature, habit and attitude.
The concern isn’t having a grumble the concern is when you stay there and make it your lifestyle and grumbling is always the first port of call in your life.
Philippians 2:14 (Amplified Bible) says; “Do all things without grumbling and fault-finding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]
There is nothing about grumbling that is good – there are no redeeming features of grumbling and complaining - it is a destructive spirit with no positives to it.
Paul could have grumbled and complained because of his hardships – instead he learned the secret of contentment – of being content in any and every situation – what a challenge for us today!
Don’t let a lifestyle of grumbling...discontentment rob us of a life time of blessing - learn the secret of being content no matter what the circumstance – and remember...
You have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers you [Ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; You are self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency!]
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Attachment
Simon Wood spoke an encouraging message this morning in church on the laws of attachment.
The church is to reflect God’s heart, his life and hope. The message of good news to the world through the church. We want to see lives changed, turned around for good.
John 15:1-5 – (1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. (4) Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
We have a great future as we remain attached to the Vine, Jesus, and as we remain attached to one another...the church.
We remain fruitful as we remain attached to God and also attached to our world.
Psalm 1:1-3 – (1) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
As a church we don’t just remain attached to God but also to our world…our heart’s desire is to see them become attached to God.
For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son...God’s heart is for the world and as a church we seek to bless the world.
Connection and attachment comes though knowing God’s word...His truth sets us free.
Wisdom comes to us not just for church but also for where we go into our world, work, school, streets etc.
Proverbs 8:1-3 – Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud
Still need to remain connected to God’s wisdom and not the world’s wisdom. We’re called to be in the world but not to live by its wisdom.
God wants us to connect with people; we make a difference in people’s lives. Church is also a place to connect with people, where we grow and flourish.
John 17:10-12 – (10) All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. (11) I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me - so that they may be one as we are one. (12) While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
We’re meant to be as one so the world will see God and know the truth.
The church is to reflect God’s heart, his life and hope. The message of good news to the world through the church. We want to see lives changed, turned around for good.
John 15:1-5 – (1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. (4) Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
We have a great future as we remain attached to the Vine, Jesus, and as we remain attached to one another...the church.
We remain fruitful as we remain attached to God and also attached to our world.
Psalm 1:1-3 – (1) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
As a church we don’t just remain attached to God but also to our world…our heart’s desire is to see them become attached to God.
For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son...God’s heart is for the world and as a church we seek to bless the world.
Connection and attachment comes though knowing God’s word...His truth sets us free.
Wisdom comes to us not just for church but also for where we go into our world, work, school, streets etc.
Proverbs 8:1-3 – Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud
Still need to remain connected to God’s wisdom and not the world’s wisdom. We’re called to be in the world but not to live by its wisdom.
God wants us to connect with people; we make a difference in people’s lives. Church is also a place to connect with people, where we grow and flourish.
John 17:10-12 – (10) All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. (11) I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me - so that they may be one as we are one. (12) While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
We’re meant to be as one so the world will see God and know the truth.
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