CONTENTMENT IS KEY

CONTENTMENT IN CRISIS (and all the other times too!) March 26, 2020

Jesus said we can have peace in the midst of the storm. He spoke to the winds and the waves and said, “Peace, be still!” He gave us His peace. He said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

This morning I want to share with you what I believe is the key to peace in the middle of a crisis, and all other times too!

Last week I shared this verse with you… 1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

Today, let’s go back and read the whole passage… 1 Timothy 6:6–8 (NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

The key is contentment. I have discovered I struggle with contentment. Contentment is knowing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness. Listen to how Paul describes it.

Philippians 4:11–13 (NKJV) Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So why do I struggle? The opposite of contentment is not discontent. Discontent can be holy. We should have a holy discontent for things that are not as God intended. My problem is covetousness! I want something God has not given me, and I can’t get it! I want what someone else has!

James 4:1-3 (NKJV) Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

The last of the Ten Commandments tells us not to covet. Look at this list…

Exodus 20:17 (NKJV) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

What could we add to the list? Place? Face? Grace? When covetousness grips our hearts, bitterness and disappointment are not far behind. Bitterness destroys God’s work in our life and others; it steals our joy; disappointments lead to disillusionment and depression and despair. Listen to Jesus…

Luke 12:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Paul goes on…

Ephesians 5:3 (NKJV) But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.

Wow! Paul says covetousness is just as bad as any act of immorality!

Ephesians 5:5 (NKJV) For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

So here it is: A covetous man is practicing idolatry. He is worshipping himself! I know what I need; I would do this if I was God!

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

We are right where we are supposed to be. God is with us right there, right there where you feel slighted, or forgotten, or unappreciated. Right there where life is hard, and the future is uncertain. When your place or your face or your grace doesn’t seem enough, He is there.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV) And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

What if you don’t have everything you need? You may be lacking some of the necessities of life. This becomes a place of dependence and calling upon God to provide.

Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:25–34 (NKJV) Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Psalms 37:25 (NKJV) I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.

Elijah knew it. 1 Kings 17:8–16 (NKJV) Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So, he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’” So, she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.

Elisha knew it. 2 Kings 4:1–7 (NKJV) A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” So, Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels and set aside the full ones.” So, she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So, the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

Philippians 4:19 (NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Practical steps to find peace:

1.    Pray for yourself and your family.

2.    Pray for others. Remember Job.

3.    Meet others needs. Give and it shall be given unto you.

4.    What do you have in your house?

Many people are bored today. Boredom exists because we are not fulfilling God’s purpose for our life. Remember the words of Jesus: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Our life is full when we are finding purpose.

What do you have in your house? God has given you gifts and abilities that you can use to bless others. God gave me the ability to teach music. Ft. Hancock story…

Ministry Time

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS

Right now, we are living in a different arena of life. There is concern not only about this time, but what the future will hold. To me it seems like we are wandering around in a wilderness, a place where things are difficult, where resources are scarce, and where drudgery is a constant companion.

The Bible talks a lot about the wilderness. Israel journeyed 40 years in the wilderness; Jesus was 40 days in the wilderness; John the Baptist lived in the wilderness; Paul met with God for two years in the wilderness!

This current time is a time of struggle; struggles with schedules, struggles with finances, struggles with children, struggles with priorities, struggles with loneliness, struggles with relationships, struggles with boredom, struggles with uncertainty, sometimes even struggles with the very essentials of life.

This is also a time of opportunities: a time to grow, a time to develop, a time of discipline, a time of creativity, a time to love and be loved, a time with God, a time of trust, a time of faith.

As I thought about this the Lord reminded me of a passage in the Bible about “the church in the wilderness”. It struck me that this is where the church is, where His people are. We are wondering in a wilderness both personally and collectively. We don’t know what the church will look like when this is over; we don’t know what life will look like when this is over.

In his sermon in Acts 7, the martyr/deacon Stephen referred to “the church in the wilderness”.

Acts 7:38–39 (NKJV) This is he (Moses) who was in the congregation (church) in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts, they turned back to Egypt,

We are in a transitional time. We are not what we were, but we are not what we will be as people, as the church, as society, as professionals. Please do not let this time turn your hearts back to Egypt, the world, the things the enemy has to offer. Moses was with his people, but during his time he spoke of a greater Moses who would come, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would be us in every situation!

Israel lived in transition between Egypt and the Promised Land. Jesus lived in transition between His earthly body and His heavenly body. We are living in transition now between what we were before we came to Jesus and what we will be when Jesus comes again.

1 John 3:2–3 (NKJV) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

So the question becomes: How should we live in this time of transition? The Bible gives us some pretty clear instructions. Let’s look at some instructions Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 10. This morning I am using the Message translation.

1 Corinthians 10:1–5 (MSG) Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.

The wilderness can be a place of death or it can be a defining moment in our lives. It can be a furnace of affliction or the kiln that fires the finest china. We make the choice.

Paul goes on to talk about five things to avoid in the wilderness. Let’s read about them and then make them into some action points. Again, we are reading from the Message translation.

1 Corinthians 10:6–10 (MSG) 6 The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did.

1. Don’t desire your own way.

Israel wanted things their way. They were dissatisfied with what God had provided, the direction they were going, and the leader God had chosen! The essence of all sin is wanting what we want when we want it. We want it our way.

7 And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did — “First the people partied, then they threw a dance.”

2. Don’t use your religion for selfish reasons.

When Moses was on Mount Sinai getting the Law, Israel went back to idol worship which featured sensual, self-serving partying as they danced before the golden calf, a god of their own making.

8 We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day!

During their journey, Israel entered into Baal worship with the Moabites. This worship was based on sexual debauchery.

3. Don’t let your life be just a search for pleasure.

We must be cautious because times of stress can be fertile ground for addictive behavior as people seek to find relief from the situation.

9 We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes.

4. Don’t make God a means to an end.

Israel has begged God for help in defeating the Canaanites. God gave them the victory. Afterwards they complained about God’s provision. Snakes came and began to bite them. They cried out to Moses to save them because they had sinned. Moses put a copper snake on a stake and anyone who looked upon it was saved. Jesus refereed to this story when He spoke to Nocodemus.

John 3:14–15 (NKJV) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

10 We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them.

5. Don’t let discontent destroy you.

Israel reaches a point where they would rather go back to Egypt than go forward with God. When we get in the wilderness, the enemy will make the past bondage look better than the current path to freedom! Don’t go for the con! Remember the bondage, the whips, the labor, the pain. Your only choice is to go on! What the world says will set you free will enslave you; what the world says will enslave you will set you free!

1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

The ultimate expression of their discontent was their refusal to enter into the Promised Land! It cost them everything!

This time in the wilderness can be a time of regret. I didn’t respond right. I fought against it. It revealed things in me I didn’t want to face, things I had known about but never dealt with.

But there is another choice. This season we are in can be a time of transformation. Remember, we worship the God who hears, the God who sees, the God who cares, the God who acts!

Let’s make the right choices so our memories of this time can be means of rejoicing and not regret!

Paul goes on in this chapter to give us three good choices to make. Again, I’m reading from the Message translation.

1 Corinthians 10:11–12 (MSG) These are all warning markers— DANGER! — in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

1. Cultivate God confidence.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG) No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

2. Remember that God will never let you down.

1 Corinthians 10:14 (MSG) So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.

3. Encourage others to walk with God and be encouraged by others to walk with God.

We are all in this together. We have our own path to walk, but we can also help others walk their new path.

Galatians 6:9–10 (NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

A final word: The wilderness empowers you.

Luke 4:1 (NKJV) Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led (Mark: driven) by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luke 4:14 (NKJV) Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

Let this time turn the fullness of God into the power of God in your life!

PRAYER

GOOD NEWS

On this Easter Sunday morning we are in a similar situation that Jesus’ followers were after the crucifixion. You can read about it in John 20 beginning at verse 19.

John 20:19–20 (NKJV) Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

They were scattered, locking themselves inside their homes because of fear, some were doubting, thinking that all they had hoped for was shattered and gone, many considering a return to their old life. Then, into that gloom and despair the resurrected Jesus came and said, “Peace be with you.” And gladness filled their hearts.

I want us to hear Him speak that to us today in this situation. “I am here; be at peace.” That is good news. And that is what I want to talk about this morning: Good News. PRAYER

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 (NKJV) Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel (good news) which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

This is the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ.

1. Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

His suffering was prophesied in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 53:4–6 (NKJV) Surely, He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions (individual sins), He was bruised for our iniquities (our sin nature); the chastisement for our peace was upon Him (we have peace with God), and by His stripes we are healed (spiritual and physical). All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Jesus has already paid the price for all sin for all people for all eternity!

The effect is recorded in the New Testament.

Colossians 2:13–15 (NKJV) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Four effects of the cross:

A. Resurrection life.

B. Remission of sin.

C. Removal of sin.

D. Reigning in life.

2. He was buried.

Now He didn’t just lay there. Some wonderful things happened while He was in the tomb.

Ephesians 4:7–10 (NKJV) But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

1 Peter 3:18–19 (NKJV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

While Jesus’ body was laying in the tomb, He went to Hades, the place of the dead, kicked the devil’s teeth in, took the keys to death, hell, and the grave, opened the gates to all who had died in faith waiting on the cross, and led them in a victory procession into heaven!

3. He rose from the dead according to the Scriptures.

Romans 1:4 (NKJV) and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

The Resurrection sealed the deal. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then we have no faith. Jesus would be like any other human being, living and dying. The empty tomb is the testament to His deity and His Lordship.

It also gives us hope of life after death.

Romans 6:4 (NKJV) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

2 Timothy 2:11 (NKJV) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.

This is taking about more than spiritual resurrection. There is a physical resurrection for all believers.

1 Corinthians 15:51–58 (NKJV) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

There is coming a day when Jesus will come again to this earth to establish an everlasting Kingdom.

Jesus promised it.

John 14:1–3 (NKJV) Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Angels prophesied it.

Acts 1:11 (NKJV) The angel also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Paul proclaimed it.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NKJV) But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

INVITATION

Jesus did all this for you and for me. If you have never received Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you can this morning. Just say this prayer with me…

Contact us and let us know if you prayed to receive Christ this morning. We want to send you some materials to help you as you begin a new life in Jesus Christ.

DO NOT FEAR, YOUR KING IS HERE!

MESSAGE DO NOT FEAR, YOUR KING IS HERE!

Uncertainty is all around us today. We don’t know how this will end or when it will end or even if it will end! We all have some concern about our own lives. All of this “not knowing” breeds doubt and fear. I don’t know about you, but I would rather know the truth, even if it is bad. I can deal with truth, but not knowing makes it difficult to cope.

I want us to see today that right into the middle of the uncertainty; into the city with walls all around that is our lives; Jesus rides right in and proclaims:

John 12:15 (NKJV) “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming,”

Jesus makes a declaration: Do not fear, your King is here! Do we hear Him? Whatever circumstance we find today: Do not fear, our King is here! Whatever war and struggle we find today: Do not fear, our King is here! Whatever enemy is fighting us today: worry, finances, health, disease: Do not fear, our King is here!

We can say with King David:

Psalms 56:3–4 (NKJV) Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

Notice David said when, not if. We cannot stop fear from coming, but we can deal with it. How? By trusting in God’s promises. The promises of God are the recurring theme. Whatever the natural world brings against me, His Word stands forever!

Psalms 56:10–11 (NKJV) In God (I will praise His Word), In the LORD (I will praise His Word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Again, whatever the natural world brings against me, His Word stands forever!

Can I just summarize the theme? Whenever I feel fear coming on me, I will praise His Word, I will praise His Word, I will praise His Word!

Why? God Himself honors His own Word!

Psalms 138:2 (NKJV) I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your Name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name.

When we speak God’s Word back to Him, He honors it! In prayer we confess the promises of God back to Him and He hears and acts according to His Word.

1 John 5:14–15 (NKJV) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him.

God’s Word is His will! When we pray the Word, we pray His will!

Let’s go back for a minute to the Palm Sunday scene. Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover. On the way he has performed multiple miracles; He has healed many people; He has cast out devils; He had even raised the dead! There is a spirit of expectancy in the crowd. They start chanting Scripture:

Hosanna, Hosanna, Son of David, help us, save us, blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. What happens? Jesus shows up to help and to save! He shows up and shows off!

Where do you need God to “show up and show off” today in your life? I don’t care what you are facing, talk back to God with His promises. Take the promises of God and pray then back to God. God answers the prayers He initiates. His promises are the starter fluid to light the fire of God in your life!

For example, (read several passages from the Jesus Person Pocket Promise Book by David Wilkerson) …

As we end today, let’s make three declaration: I will not fear, my King is here! I will praise His Word, I will praise His Word, I will praise His Word!

PRAYER