The True Secret of Contentment

I have heard many people quote Philippians 4:13  I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength, in order to make the statement that no matter what you want, Jesus will help you get it. 

Is that what this verse really means?
Will Jesus help you give you the strength to lift a mini-bus for fun and profit?
Possibly, if lifting heavy items is your gift from God, but If you read the entire chapter, I think you will find it really means something else.

Philippians 4: 11-13 reads ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Paul is thanking the Philippians for their concern for his well being. Later in the chapter Paul thanks them for sending him supplies. 
What Paul is trying to get across here is that because of his faith in Jesus, he is content no matter what. He is content in poverty as well as in plenty. His faith that Jesus helped him to be content.

Paul is sharing the secret of contentment!

Do everything through Jesus and you can be content. 

I know that being content doesn't sound as exciting as being able to get all your desires fulfilled, but if you really think about it, humans are rarely content with what they have or what they do. We never have enough money or enough stuff. We never seem to quite stack up to others. 
But really, wouldn't it be wonderful to truly be content in every situation in life? What a burden that would release us from!

Think about what an awesome blessing this verse gives us.

Yes, Jesus can and will perform miracles in your life if you trust in Him. Jesus does answer the prayers of the faithful, but this talks about contentment through Jesus Christ.
I can just hear you saying " but what about Psalm 37:4? Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Try reading all of Psalm 34
Psalm 34: 3-6
Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the Lord,  trust in him and he will do this:He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,  your vindication like the noonday sun.

Do you notice here we are told to TRUST, TAKE DELIGHT and COMMIT YOUR WAY to God? 

Now take a look at Psalm 34:7-11. what are we told to do in these next verses? 
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him, do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret —it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

 

Wow! We have a lot of work to do before we get to that desires of our hearts thing, don't we?

Be Still
Wait Patiently for God
Don't fret
Refrain from anger, turn away from wrath
Hope in the Lord
Be Meek

It might be easier to be content through Jesus don't you think?  

Have you found the secret of contentment through Jesus?

The Offer of a Lifetime

Have you seen the TV series "Royal Pains" on the USA Network? 

The premise of the show is a successful doctor is wrongfully accused of allowing a wealthy patient to die while saving the life of another patient. The Doctor ends up in the Hamptons where he is rescued by an eccentric wealthy nobleman who offers him a job, a rent free palatial guest house on his estate and even gives him a gold bar. Hank, the Doctor ends up with a much better life than he had before. 

Now imagine something similar happening to you. You strike up a conversation in a coffee shop with the nice man sitting next to you.  The man is wealthy nobleman who is in search of employees. He likes you and makes you the offer of a lifetime. A job that is yours for life, with a yearly salary of $10,000,000 + bonuses and a beautiful, exquisitely furnished,  rent free mansion for you and your family to live in and because he wants your reputation to be good as you represent him and he wants you to put your focus on doing the job he has for you, he will pay off all your debt. No more financial worries. 
The man tells you he will provide you with all the tools you will need and will train you to perform the job to his satisfaction.  

Now imagine you refuse to accept the job and tell the wealthy nobleman " Oh no!  I love my house and my furnishings. I don't want to leave my stuff behind!  My life is perfect just like it is. 

Sounds kind of silly to even think of turning that kind of offer down doesn't it?  Yet I know many people who have and I bet so do you. 

I bet you are also thinking " How silly! No one would offer to rescue me"!
But someone did. Jesus died so he could rescue you. He paid your debt and all you have to do is accept his offer. 

Matthew 16:24,25 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it

Jesus want us to give up our old self and follow Him. He wants us to trust that His plan is a better one. He offers us life everlasting and even a home with Him. 

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus says we are to give the old life of living for ourselves and live for Him.  Yet so many people refuse and hang on to the life they have.

Are you one of those people? Have you hung on to this life of sin because you can't bear to give up things you know aren't pleasing to God? 
Is your life really so wonderful you can't possibly improve it? Are you so happy and fulfilled you can't fathom making any changes to your life? I bet the honest answer would be no, it isn't that wonderful. 

Jesus promises us that when we lose the old self and follow Him, we get a new life. And I can testify it is a better life and a better future, a life filled with hope. 

John 10:10b I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart.


So really, what are you hanging on to? Is what you have really worth it? 

Who's approval are you trying to win?

Last week a friend invited me to go to the movies with her. She picked the movie and I failed to check the rating or read viewer reviews.

 It turned out to be rough, violent and filled with nudity and sexual content. I was embarrassed to be there, so I sat through it covering my eyes through much of it while feeling guilty for being there.

We have to be careful that we don't live one way at church or in front of other Christians, and another way when we are around those who do not live a Christian life. 

Matthew 5:16 instructs us to "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

We are to be a beacon in the darkness, pointing the way to our Heavenly Father. We can't do that if we are living in the darkness with the ones to whom we are supposed to be showing the Way.

Acts 5:29b "We ought to obey God rather than men". this is as true today as it was for Peter and the apostles 

I was in a place where I didn't belong because I wanted to please my friend and not look foolish in her eyes. It is better to please God than to please people and I should have remembered and acted on that. 

Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."

I have confessed to God and I have peace because I know He forgives me. I now will be much more careful about where I go and what I watch and the example I am setting forth for other people.

Take a stand for what pleases God in your daily life. Remember, where ever you go, you are taking Jesus with you. He sees what you see and hears what you hear. 

Don't let the fear of rejection or of being mocked make you afraid to do what is right before God. 

God has a task for each of His children.

Acts 20:24  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Paul wrote this in his goodbye letter to the Ephesians. Paul was obviously a man with a clear understanding that he had a job to do that was given him from God and he put that job before all else. 

Have you received a ministry from God? If you have, be faithful to it. Put that ministry before your own comfort. Our lives are valuable to God for the purpose of fulfilling the ministry given by Him. 

We all have a purpose. We don't feel right in our skins until we are fulfilling that purpose that God has for us. We all feel the need to find our niche and our spiritual niche is the ministry God has for us to do.  

How do you find that purpose? 
Start by doing more than lip service to Gods commandments. 

James 1:21,22 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Follow up by communicating with God. Talk to Him and read His love letter/instructional handbook every day. Talk to Him because you want to and talk to Him even when you don't want to. Communication is a 2 way street, god wants to communicate with us, so read what He has to say, ask Him what He wants you to do and listen to what He tells you. You must be walking in close fellowship with God. 


And lastly, in order to hear "Well Done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21) when your task is completed, follow Paul's example by hard work and setting a good example for others to follow 
2 Thessalonians 3:7-11 For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you.  It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.  For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.”  For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. 

Do you truly support your pastor and other church leaders? 

Dennis Franck in “Reaching Single Adults” tells us there are 4 types of people and that we should choose future leaders who are Backbones

Are you a Wishbone? – “I wish our leader would do this or that, If things were my way… THEN I could be supportive

Are you a Jawbone? – “ I will help you build this ministry ( but then actually do nothing to help, all talk no action)

Are you a Knucklebone? – “ If I was in charge I would change”....(knocking the way the leader is doing things)

Are you a Backbone? – “ I will help and support you in this ministry” ( and then does help and support in every way possible)

How can you give your support? 

Prayer - Pray for the church leaders daily. Not sure what to pray ? Take a look at Pastor Toms blog, “Winning Ways” July 4 for a list of excellent suggestions    http://bit.ly/MWBEOx

Verbal Support – Tell the Pastor you got something out of the sermon. Let the Music Minister know you enjoyed the music selection. Thank the nursery teacher for keeping all those little darlings happy so others can enjoy the service. Let your Sunday school or small group leader know you appreciate them. Don’t criticize and don’t gossip. If you don’t like something, pray about it. No one is perfect, not even you,.

Attendance - Support with your attendance, not just Sunday morning, but as often as you can. Each leader puts a lot of time and thought into planning and facilitating. Support them by showing up to services and events

Pitch in- When the church puts out a call for volunteers, sign up. Don’t leave it for everyone else. Be active in your support. I think if you look around your church at the leadership, I bet you will see that the leaders are active in more than one area and are usually the first to pitch in to help out. 

Which bone are you?

Which one should you be?

What do you need to change? 

Let’s all examine our lives today and see how we can better support our Pastor and our church leaders.