Content: with what we have, who we are, and where we’re going.

Content: with what we have, who we are, and where we’re going.

Many times the only consistency in our lives has been our inconsistency.

What does the Bible say about contentment?

Contentment-the state of being mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are. Last week we described content as being pleased with one's self or one's current scenario.

Today it is rare that we find anyone who is truly content with his or her condition in life. The Bible has a great deal to say about contentment—being satisfied with what we have, who we are, and where we’re going.

1.      Jesus is telling us to be content with what we have.

1.      He has given us a direct command not to worry about the things of this world.

Matthew 6:24-34 NLT [24] "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. [25] "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are? [27] Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? [28] "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, [29] yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. [30] And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? [31] "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' [32] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. [33] Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. [34] "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

2.      From Jesus’ words, we can deduce that lack of contentment is sin and it puts us in the same category as those who do not know God.

1.      The apostle Paul was a man who suffered and went without the comforts of life more than most people could ever imagine.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NLT [23] "Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. [24] Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. [25] Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. [26] I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. [27] I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. [28] Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches."

2.      Yet he knew the secret of contentment:

Philippians 4:12-13 [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, who gives me strength."

3.      Content with what I have?

1.     The writer to the Hebrews adds, Hebrews 13:5-6 “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.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

4.      Be without covetousness, be without want.

1.      Let our conduct be without wanting what everyone else has.

1.      Content.

2.      Let our conduct be without desiring everything that caters to the world, the flesh, and the Devil.

1.     I'm content.

1.      Yet people continue to seek after more of the things of this world, never contented with their lot in life.

2.      The bumper sticker that reads “He with the most toys wins!” epitomizes the world’s cravings for more and more.

1.      And the church is just as guilty.

5.      The latest global statistic shows that if one has a roof over his head and a meal on his table he is richer than 93 percent of the world’s population.

6.      If a person wears a pair of shoes he is richer than 75 percent of the people in the world.

1.      In the United States alone, credit card debt averages more than $16,000 per household, and we are still discontented.

2.      Solomon, the wisest and richest man who ever lived, said,

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 NLT [10] "Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! [11] The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth-except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!"

Ecclesiastes 5:15 NLT "[15] We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can't take our riches with us."

7.      I've never seen a U-haul truck following the funeral procession.

1.      You brought nothing into this world and you will carry nothing out.

1.      You can take your friends to heaven though, you can take your family to heaven and you can take the lost to heaven.

1.      Your life, your entire existence can have a powerful impact on the lives of others.

2.      Be content with who we are.

1.      The key to overcoming our discontentment and lack of faith is to find out who God really is and how He has been faithful to supply the needs of His people in the past.

2.      This will grow one’s confidence and trust for the future.

1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT [6] "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. [7] Cast all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you."

1.      When you care about someone you do not let them down.

2.      When you care about someone you do not leave them to carry the weight of world by themselves.

3.      When you care for someone you never forsake them.

4.      When you care for someone you don't want to see their destruction.

5.      You want to see their success, you want to experience their life playing out.

6.      When you care for someone you're not interested in seeing them live a life of suffering.

1.      Your not interested in seeing their potential destroyed but tapped into and witnessing what God has mightily planned for them that love Him.

1.      God cares for us.

2.      God cares for you.

1.      That sentence alone sets me on fire!

2.      Ignited, propelled, and purposed into a place I'll never truly understand.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NLT [6] Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. [7] After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. [8] So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. [9] But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

3.      Many live their lives running everywhere they can, doing everything they can, running over everyone they can to gain more, more, and more, thinking, even believing they will be truly happy when they attain it.

1.      I believe that we have to be satisfied with what we have, who we are, and where we’re going.

1.      Individually and collectively.

2.      Continually using this statement as a catalyst for deeper growth in God, growth in character, growth in our God mission and purpose.

4.      As believers our trust and confidence should be in God alone, satisfied with our condition regardless of circumstances.

5.      Christ-followers should focus their effort on pursuing holiness in conduct, attitude, and thought.

6.      They should choose to be content in whatever circumstances God has given them, just like Paul himself had done while in prison.

1.      It is impossible to be content when our hearts are set on gaining more.

2.      We will not remain godly for long if we are not content with what God has given us.

3.      A desire for godliness is quickly eroded by a greedy, covetous spirit.

7.      The Bible never says that it is a sin to be rich.

1.      The difference is in the heart.

2.      Both greed and contentment are states of the heart.

3.     When we choose to be content with the riches of Christ rather than just pursuing material riches, our lives will be more in line with God’s desire for us, because "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." Matthew 6:21

1.      I refuse to be everything else and anything that everyone else wants me to be, I must be what He has set out for me to be!

3.      Content in where I am going.

1.      You have to face the fact that circumstances won’t change until you change. 

2.      Family members won’t change until you change.

3.      Your job won’t change until you change.

4.      And your future will never change until you make the decision to change.

1.      If the world the flesh and the devil can get you discontented thinking and dreaming on everything else it will be detrimental to your relationships, your career, your God mission and calling!

1.      Well I'm here but I really want to be here.

2.      I'm doing this but my passion is this.

2.      Diverting us toward things of this earth rather than things of eternal value!

5.      I'm content on where I'm going because I know God is guiding the trip and He knows they way.

1.      Oakland Raiders game trip Del'von and I.

1.      Some say well your obsessed with God, obsessed with the bible and obsessed with God's plan.

1.      That's cool define me as you must.

2.      But obsessed is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.

1.      “You become what you think about all day long.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

1.      You can be content and still be driven!

2.      You can be content and still lead well.

3.      You can be content and still have an amazing marriage.

4.      You can be content and still have a growing thriving relationship with God.

1.      Content or concerned?

1.      To worry means we do not trust God.

2.      Content or conceited?

1.      Conceited means we only trust in our flesh.

5.      I am content and in full trust of wherever God says to go I'll go.

1.      God, I'll be what you want me to be, do what you want me to do, go where you want me to go, and leave what you what me to leave.

6.      Since the beginning of time Satan has been using discontentment against God's children.

1.      He told Eve, "How can you be happy when you are not allowed to eat the fruit from this one tree?"

1.      He shifted her entire focus from all that God had done, and all that God had given, and all that God had blessed to the one thing He had withheld.

1.      Recognizing and living out biblical contentment is being satisfied with what we have, who we are, and where we're going.