comeuphither
Member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2006
- Messages
- 11
"The Secret of Contentment"
One of the maladies so prevalent in our society is the spirit of discontentment. Though we have an abundance of things and every creature comfort to make life easy, yet dissatisfaction reigns on every hand. What is so very tragic and deplorable, is that this spirit has crept into the church. Generally speaking, less and less Christians are experiencing total satisfaction and contentment in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The Bible tells us in I Timothy 6:6 that "Godliness with contentment is great gain." W. Glyn Evans, in his devotional book, "Daily with the King" gives a good description of contentment. "Accept my lot as God's provision for me and be satisfied." I believe that says it all. The opposite of contentment is murmuring and complaining of which Israel was so often found guilty. No less than ten times in Exodus Chapter 15, 16, and 17, we find them discontent and murmuring. In John 6, the disciples murmured over the teaching of the Lord. The Apostle Paul also warns the church at Philippi in Phil. 2:14 about this evil. At the very heart of discontentment and murmuring, is a distrust of God. In the text as listed above, we are given the secret of how to live contented lives in the complexity of life that takes us through sudden changes, and painful circumstances. Throughout this epistle, Paul has continually directed the Philippian believers to the Lord Jesus Christ. And so, in this text the Apostle , lists the three main areas where he has experienced the all-sufficiency of Christ whereby he, derived his contentment regardless of the circumstance he had passed through.
The first area is Christ's provision-vs.. 10.
Though there were times when the Apostle had to tighten his belt somewhat, he never had to beg for bread as promised in Psalms 37:25 and as our Lord promised in Matt. 6:25-34, if we seek first the Kingdom of God. And so the Apostle triumphantly declares in the 19th verse, "My God shall supply all your need." The problem with God's people today is that it is not that we don't have enough, but that we want more than it pleases God to give us.
The second area is Christ's presence.
The reason our problems loom so large is that our soul focuses on the temporal and the question can be asked- How can the Lord direct the mind centered on the temporal? In verse 12, the Apostle uses the phrase, "I am instructed." That, is to know the presence of the Lord. A bishop in the early church was once asked about his remarkable example on contentment. His reply was that it is the right use of the eyes- Whatever state I am in, I look to Heaven. The principle business here is to get there. For as we draw near to the Lord, He will draw near to us- James 4:8. There are multitudes around us that have plenty, yet are unhappy-They abide not in our Precious Lord. The Apostle Paul could say "rejoice in the Lord always". Fanny Crosby wrote "0 what a happy soul am I although I cannot see- I am resolved that in this world, contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy that other people don t. To weep and sign because I'm blind, I cannot and I won't." Both of these servants knew what it was to live in the presence of the Lord.
The third area is Christ's Power in vs. 13.
The Lord gave the Apostle the energy of His Divine power to go through every circumstance. The Lord had said unto Paul in II Cor. 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for thee- for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul then said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." By virtue of Paul's union with Christ, wondrous Divine energy was constantly pouring through him. And so it is with every soul who labors not in the flesh but in the Spirit. The following are three things that will help in the soul's quest for contentment in Christ.
Nothing earthly lasts or satisfies- To be independent of all, save God.
Confidence in an All Wise God- He sees further than we do.
In grace, the believer already possesses God Who is the Creator.
How can anything created, surpass the Creator- See Romans 8:32
As the dove found no footing but in the Ark, so a child of God finds no contentment but in Christ. "Godliness with contentment is great gain."
One of the maladies so prevalent in our society is the spirit of discontentment. Though we have an abundance of things and every creature comfort to make life easy, yet dissatisfaction reigns on every hand. What is so very tragic and deplorable, is that this spirit has crept into the church. Generally speaking, less and less Christians are experiencing total satisfaction and contentment in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The Bible tells us in I Timothy 6:6 that "Godliness with contentment is great gain." W. Glyn Evans, in his devotional book, "Daily with the King" gives a good description of contentment. "Accept my lot as God's provision for me and be satisfied." I believe that says it all. The opposite of contentment is murmuring and complaining of which Israel was so often found guilty. No less than ten times in Exodus Chapter 15, 16, and 17, we find them discontent and murmuring. In John 6, the disciples murmured over the teaching of the Lord. The Apostle Paul also warns the church at Philippi in Phil. 2:14 about this evil. At the very heart of discontentment and murmuring, is a distrust of God. In the text as listed above, we are given the secret of how to live contented lives in the complexity of life that takes us through sudden changes, and painful circumstances. Throughout this epistle, Paul has continually directed the Philippian believers to the Lord Jesus Christ. And so, in this text the Apostle , lists the three main areas where he has experienced the all-sufficiency of Christ whereby he, derived his contentment regardless of the circumstance he had passed through.
The first area is Christ's provision-vs.. 10.
Though there were times when the Apostle had to tighten his belt somewhat, he never had to beg for bread as promised in Psalms 37:25 and as our Lord promised in Matt. 6:25-34, if we seek first the Kingdom of God. And so the Apostle triumphantly declares in the 19th verse, "My God shall supply all your need." The problem with God's people today is that it is not that we don't have enough, but that we want more than it pleases God to give us.
The second area is Christ's presence.
The reason our problems loom so large is that our soul focuses on the temporal and the question can be asked- How can the Lord direct the mind centered on the temporal? In verse 12, the Apostle uses the phrase, "I am instructed." That, is to know the presence of the Lord. A bishop in the early church was once asked about his remarkable example on contentment. His reply was that it is the right use of the eyes- Whatever state I am in, I look to Heaven. The principle business here is to get there. For as we draw near to the Lord, He will draw near to us- James 4:8. There are multitudes around us that have plenty, yet are unhappy-They abide not in our Precious Lord. The Apostle Paul could say "rejoice in the Lord always". Fanny Crosby wrote "0 what a happy soul am I although I cannot see- I am resolved that in this world, contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy that other people don t. To weep and sign because I'm blind, I cannot and I won't." Both of these servants knew what it was to live in the presence of the Lord.
The third area is Christ's Power in vs. 13.
The Lord gave the Apostle the energy of His Divine power to go through every circumstance. The Lord had said unto Paul in II Cor. 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for thee- for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul then said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." By virtue of Paul's union with Christ, wondrous Divine energy was constantly pouring through him. And so it is with every soul who labors not in the flesh but in the Spirit. The following are three things that will help in the soul's quest for contentment in Christ.
Nothing earthly lasts or satisfies- To be independent of all, save God.
Confidence in an All Wise God- He sees further than we do.
In grace, the believer already possesses God Who is the Creator.
How can anything created, surpass the Creator- See Romans 8:32
As the dove found no footing but in the Ark, so a child of God finds no contentment but in Christ. "Godliness with contentment is great gain."
