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