Contentment

Bikers Church Cape Town

CONTENTMENT by Pastor George Lehman Contentment is what’s on God’s heart for us. Contentment[tevredenheid] is accepting what God has given you and by His strength, making the most of it. This word will bring real meaning to your spiritual race. 1 Timothy 6:6-7 (Amp) – 6 [And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world; Having things is not the problem; it’s when the things have you! God will not invest, if there’s going to be NO RETURN. This should give you confidence because God believes in His investment in you!!! A content life is a reservoir of abundance. What TENT did you live in? We live in one of two tents. Content… Or Discontent “A content heart is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.” - Joseph Addison. Someone said: “When we cannot find Godly contentment in ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.” Here’s the real issue: So many people are always wishing things were different or better or nicer or more comfortable this is a great way to torture yourself. The truth is – always appreciate what you have. There is always someone out there who wishes that they had what you have. This world is really run on discontentment. We find fault with our work, our boss, our church and other people. Our old sinful nature is generally discontent. How many people become discontent because there’s a new Cell phone, TV, bike that they don’t have. So, they feel discontent if only I can have !!!! So many people are trying to fill a void with things that will never satisfy. Today again….God is calling us to make radical adjustments to our lives. “They say wealth is like sea water – the more you drink the thirstier you become.” Asking John D. Rockefeller, how much money it took to make a man happy, his reply was, “Just a little bit more”. Please follow this very carefully: The bible calls us to our convictions not our circumstances, to govern our sense of contentment. Convictions = Is to follow and believe God’s word. True biblical contentment is a conviction that Christ’s power, purpose and provision is sufficient for every circumstance. Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]” Our growth and maturity are to learn how to walk through every adversity and difficulty fully trusting in Christ’s sufficiency. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 (Amp) – 4 Such is the reliance and confidence that we have through Christ toward and with reference to God. 5 Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. We must be content in our convictions (i.e. what do I believe?) to live content. Please note that from all these scriptures below there is a common thread… …you can find contentment only in Jesus Christ and in striving to serve Him (seek first the Kingdom of God – Matthew 6:33). Philippians 4:11-13 (Amp) – 11 Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted(panic) in whatever state I am(Paul is not looking at his circumstance, but his convictions). 12 I know how to be abased(to be brought low) and live humbly in straitened(poverty/restricted) circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. 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]. Romans 8:28 (NIV) – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Notice – Christ is the source of our contentment. Job 36:11 (NIV) – If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(immense profit and abundant gain) and their years in contentment. Proverbs 19:23 (NIV) – The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. As God’s child you are called to learn to be content. This is a lifelong process – but well worth the time and sacrifice. How important is contentment when serving Jesus? The wise Solomon said: Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (NIV) – 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Like an engraving on a tombstone said: She died for want of things. He died trying to give them to her. Story of diamond mine: Years ago, Russell Conwell told of an ancient Persian, Ali Hafed, who "owned a very large farm that had orchards, grain fields, and gardens... and was a wealthy contented man." One day a wise man from the East told the farmer all about diamonds and how wealthy he would be if he owned a diamond mine. Ali Hafed went to bed that night a poor man--poor because he was discontented. Craving a mine of diamonds, he sold his farm to search for the rare stones. He travelled the world over, finally becoming so poor, broken, and defeated that he committed suicide. One day the man who purchased Ali Hafed's farm led his camel into the garden to drink. As his camel put its nose into the brook, the man saw a flash of light from the sands of the stream. He pulled out a stone that reflected all the hues of the rainbow. The man had discovered the diamond mine of Golconda, the most magnificent mine in all history. Had Ali Hafed remained contente at home and dug in his own garden, then instead of death in a strange land, he would have had acres of diamonds. Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) – 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.” 1 Timothy 6:6-7 (Amp) – 6 [And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world.