THE
GREAT GAIN OF BEING CONTENT
BREAD
6 But
godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For
we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But
if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People
who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and
harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money,
have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)
10 I
rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me.
Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 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 everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18 (NIV)
7 To
keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great
revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to
torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away
from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace
is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s
power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)
9 For
this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for
you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all
spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good
work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may
have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving
thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the
saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians
1:9-12 (NIV)
14 For
this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from
whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I
pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through
his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may
have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high
and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that
you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now
to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to
him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)
BUTTER
“If you had no devil to tempt you, no enemies
to fight you, and no world to ensnare you, you would still find in yourself
enough evil to be a sore trial to you, for “the heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately sick.”2
Expect trouble then, but do not despair on account of it, for God is with you
to help and to strengthen you. He has said, “call upon me in the day of
trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” C. H. Spurgeon
revised by Alistair Begg
“God’s words have been a peacetime balm for countless
millions. Cherish them, meditate on them, find strength in them on the
brightest and warmest of days. And as our days of great peace come, may the
clarity and power of God’s words not abate. But when life gets hard, opposition
arises, enemies approach, and peace collapses into conflict, lean hard on the
words of God. They swell in their power and thrive at new depths in assaulted
souls.” David Mathis
“The way to be truly happy is to be truly
human, and the way to be truly human is to be truly Godly.” J.I. Packer
“Whether you can take what life dishes out, and the
difficult people life puts you into contact with, depends on what you take
first. If you take from the grace of God the strength offered, you
will find it absolutely sufficient to cover any need. You will find yourself
quite amazingly able to bear the hardship of life's bitter battle as a good
soldier. But the soldier has to be trained, prepared, and equipped first. Don't
rush into the fray and try to ‘take it’ without first taking strength.”
Elisabeth Elliot
“The glitzy lights of this world are no match for the True
Light of Jesus which shines forth through every believer. While certainly louder and touting the
promise of satisfaction, the world fails miserably in its offer of continued
contentment, joy and peace. Like the
drug addict, all the world does is keep one longing for more. With Christ there is no wanting. He is the Living Water which totally fills
the cup. Daily be filled with Him and
everything else is merely a cherry on top.”
BHY
“Choosing contentment, choice by choice, may be
life’s greatest challenge, but it could also result in your most important
opportunity to impact our watching world.” Pam Tebow
“Moving and speaking to spread the gospel brought conflict.
And in that conflict, the word of God did not fade. It flourished.”
David Mathis
“Our
satisfaction and contentment in life does not come from riches but from
righteousness.”
Robert J. Morgan
“Contentment isn’t a state of organization, a weight on the scale, a
state of better: better kids, better marriage, better health, better house. Contentment is never a matter
of circumstances; contentment is always a state of communion — a daily
embracing of God. A thankfulness
for all the gifts – and moments and
life, just as He gives it. Trying harder
may only bring harder trials and contentment, it won’t be found in the resolutions, but
in the revolutions – in the turning round to God.” Ann Voskamp
HEART
SAVOR
·
Christ empowers us
to be content whatever the circumstances as we turn to Him – it is in this turning
toward God, His sufficiency and His strength, that keeps His child content.
·
What the world
offers is a mere paste gem compared to the diamond of contentment that only
comes from Jesus.
·
Christ is more than
sufficient to meet our every need. Be
filled with Him and not be found wanting.
