CONTENTMENT

 

Let your way of life be free from the love of money being content with what you have, for He Himself has  said, “I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?”

-Hebrews 13:5-6y

True and real contentment is liberating. There is freedom from the love of things  in contentment. Not only the love of things but hunger  for recognition, accolades, honor, and prestige.  Godliness with contentment is great gain. One can find contentment only when you discover its secret. Contentment is a superb Christian virtue that grows over time.  It does not come quickly, easily or naturally. Paul says “I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:12). The great Christian saints are those who went through the crucible of testing and winnowing process that all that remains in them are not things or reputation or status but the liberating spirit of real contentment.  

The Great Apostle Paul said he learned the secret of being content. How? This is the secret, he said,

“10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[d] who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-12, NLT)

 He is saying: “There were times when I had plenty. But then God brought me to situations where I was ‘in need.’ And through that I learned something: I discovered the secret of being content.”

God used the experience of loss to produce the good fruit of contentment in Paul’s life. Have you discovered the secret of being content?

Jeremiah Burroughs described contentment as “a rare jewel.” How can you find joy in what God gives you, especially when it is less than you had before? Burroughs has great wisdom on how to obtain this jewel:

“A Christian comes to contentment, not so much by way of addition as by way of subtraction… Contentment does not come by adding to what you have, but by subtracting from what you desire. The world says that you will find contentment when your possessions rise to meet the level of your desires… The Christian has another way to contentment, that is, he can bring his desires down to his possessions.”

 

 

PATIENT HUMBLE AND GENTLE

 

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

-Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)

“Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

-Proverbs 16:32 (NIV)

The Word of God  teaches  such supreme  virtues like gentleness, patience, humility and self-control. These are qualities which mark the  life of a mature  Christian, but sadly lacking in most.  Most of us are still impatient, self-centered, impulsive, unkind, even, overbearing.  Only the Spirit controlled life can ever hope to strive mastery of these wonderful qualities of Christlikeness.

I admire a person who has self-control. He has learned to rule over his spirit. Self-control is hard to come by in this corrupt and self-gratifying world . Tempers flare up  and almost everyone you meet or encounter is hypersensitive.  The overwhelming sense of entitlement afflict many that they give free reign to their impulses which lead to destructive behavior.

Almost everything today is fast and quick  or should be because we have no patience in waiting. Fast and quick meals should be dished out. Transactions are completed with the swipe of a card. Documents are sent in seconds at the press of button.  We get upset when made to que in line. We want immediate results .

But God’s word  tells us we would be better off if we were patient, humble, and gentle. We cannot escape the changing of seasons. God’s word  says we have to employ the coping mechanism of humility, patience, forbearance, and self control, in dealing with the  troubles, imperfections,  unpredictability and difficulties  inherent in this fallen world. One of the most encouraging   promises found in God’s word is in Romans 8:28, “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. To those who are called according to his purpose.”

Since God is in control, why fret?

SECRET THINGS

 

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” ( Deuteronomy 29:29)

There are things, incomprehensible, unfathomable, mysterious, which are beyond human understanding, and we cannot pretend to know them fully. These are what the Scripture calls the “secret things” of God. The marvelous Book of Deuteronomy tells us they are secret things which belong to God. The Lord God Almighty is the all-knowing, infinite and Eternal Creator and He alone has the power to hide, withhold, and keep these things which He chose not to reveal to us, mere puny humans. Of all creation man is the most pretentious, and proud of his achievements, ability to think, reason and create. God reminds us slow down a bit. You are not God. We are His limited and finite creation - and we need to understand that there are certain things that God chose not to reveal to us. And what He has kept from us He will not hold us to account. “The things revealed belong to us that we may follow all the words of the law” (Deut.29:29). God in His grace has given us His Word and has revealed many of His mysteries with us through His prophets, and yet there is a bank of knowledge and information, which belong only to God our Maker and Creator. He has chosen not to reveal these secret things.

There are secret things that belong to the Lord our God alone, and we are not to try to pry open the door of His understanding or seek to expose the hidden things of the future, but in His grace, He has revealed much to us and to our children forever – and our responsibility is to search out the deep things of God in His word and teach these truths to our children and grandchildren.

God has revealed all that we need to know in the Scriptures and it is unnecessary and impudent for us to try to look into the things that do not concern us. Let us rather study His Word to show ourselves approved to God.

God’s revelation through His Word, is powerful.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The Bible has all the essentials of the life and power of God to do his work! Isaiah says that the word of God does not return void; it does his work, powerfully so (Is. 55).

Let us seek to be dedicated students and willing workers who do not need to be ashamed at His coming as we read, mark, learn, inwardly digest and appropriate the teaching that are in His holy Word of truth.