To Be Content - Frank Brancato 10/27/06

I want invite your attention to the book of Philippians, the

fourth chapter. And we want to begin reading

there in verse 9. And we'll go down through verse

13, Philippians chapter 4 beginning in verse 9.

Philippians 4 · chapter mention

Paul said these things or those things which you have learned

and received and heard and seen in me.

Do and the God of Peace shall be with you, but I rejoiced in the

Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me shall have

flourished again. We're in.

You were also careful, but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in

whatsoever. State.

I am therewith to be content. I know how I know both how to be

abased and I know how to abound everywhere.

And in all things I am instructed both to be full and

to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.

This evening for a little while. We're going to talk about the

Apostle, Paul said various things.

In fact, he said the things that are on the board and then he's

going to say something in verse 9, that the things that you have

heard, the things that you have learned and the things that you

have seen in me, do He gave us more of an assignment.

That's an extension of what we talked about this morning, he

gave us things to do. And when he says all of that,

then he says that he has learned that regardless, of the state he

was in, he has learned therewith to be content.

And finally, he said, I can do all things through Christ, which

strengthens me. We'll talk about these things

for a while tonight. Before we do though, at this

time, let us pray, the great thing about the words that Paul

records here in our text, And in this entire chapter is what Paul

is doing is though he was writing to specific people,

these things by divine inspiration off for you and I

even today and the great thing about the things that he said is

basically in essence. He could begin this chapter by

saying whoever or wherever somebody would be, this is a

formula for success in living the Christian Life and up until

the point that Paul's letter, that we're going to talk about

tonight. You remember very briefly?

This is what he said. He said be anxious or careful

for nothing, but instead of doing that, pray about

everything. And you remember this morning,

we talked specifically on the type of prayer, the Apostle Paul

said in everything and that's an absolute with prayer and

supplication. And with Thanksgiving, let your

requests be made known unto God. Then when you do that, you have

further things that you must do, if you would understand and the

assignment that we have to be successful in living the

Christian life is to think or meditate on proper things.

And if you remember this morning, how important it is not

only to meditate on serious things and to be very selective

about what you meditate upon of spiritual things.

That's true. And that's good.

But remember this morning we talked about even casual

contemplation is under consideration.

Be Careful of what we allow to go inside and what we think, or

meditate upon. But, you know, we can do

everything that Paul has said, we can be anxious for nothing,

we can pray about everything and we can actually sit down on a

regular basis and meditate or think upon all the spiritual

things that we should. But if we don't do what's next,

our life is not in accordance with God's will.

We will not be successful. We We will fail because the

Apostle Paul continued his discourse.

And as all these things are very important, this is equally

important. And Paul said this the things

that you have heard the things that you have seen the things

that you have learned from me, do those things?

You know, when we look at the things that are seen in Paul, we

find various things that we can learn.

For example, the Apostle Paul was one who was always striving.

I love this. He was striving for Perfection,

though. He admitted.

He was not perfect. The Apostle Paul had a great

desire to press on to reach the goal, regardless of bonds or

regardless of any other obstacle.

In his way, he described in one place, the Christian Life as a

race and he said that you must press on for the mark, you must

press on for the prize. And you know what else?

He said, he said, it's like this.

When I'm going to press on and press on properly for the prize,

I am not going to be one that starless I'm not going to be

one, that's just tossed to and fro with no aim whatsoever and

no goal whatsoever. You know what he said?

He said I'm not going to live aimlessly.

E. I'm going to bring my body into

subjection and I'm going to be like one that's a boxer that

does not go and beat the air and just swing carelessly with no

aim. He said I am going to live the

Christian Life and I am going to be successful in doing so

because it's like a race. I'm going to bring my body into

subjection and I'm going to do that which is right and my eye

is going to remain on the prize. You know, all of us that teach

sometimes we have little favorite things that we say and

sometimes they find their self reoccurring.

When we stand in the Pulpit, just various things that maybe

we think about or various things that mean a lot to us.

So we try to convey those things.

Like, one of the things that I love about Terry.

One thing that he says that, he always says in his lessons are

seems to, is he talks about the prize, he talks about keeping

your eye On the prize, the Bible talks about if by an eye be

single. If we don't keep our eyes fixed

on the prize, we are destined for failure, we are going to let

up. Listen, I've run and races and I

know maybe some of you have to, but when you're exhausted and

you're absolutely in track, they called hitting the wall, you're

exhausted lactic acid. Is now built up in your legs.

And listen. If you've ever done that, your

legs become like tree trunks, you can't breathe.

You got to paint in your Side. And that we are going in is

burning your lungs. but if you can look up, And see the end.

If you can look up and see the Finish Line, somehow some way

you find a way to reach down deep inside and bring up enough

strength to get there and finish.

But you know, Paul talked about things like not only is it ok?

Or not only is it required to strive but Paul said that you

must strive lawfully. You know it's very sad tonight

that there are many wonderful people in the world. even right

now as I speak, they're going out and doing something thinking

that they're striving and they are But they're not striving

lawfully and if we do not strive lawfully that does us no good as

well. You know, Jesus spoke of this

when he pictured the Judgment scene and Jesus said that

there's going to be those that are there in attendance that's

going to be very surprised. Now, let me just say this in

Matthew 25, I don't know. For sure, whether he's saying

this is actually, what is going to be said on the day of

judgment or these are things that could be said, Ed had words

been possible to say at that time.

I'll tell you what, I think, and you can take it or leave it as

you would. But I know this, I know for

sure, there are things that I don't know for sure about the

judgment and you too. But I know for sure it's a day

of sentencing, I know that and I kind of picture in my mind that

it's not going to be a lot of discussion.

There's not going to be a lot of whole things to say Jesus

Christ. As the righteous judge on his

throne is going to do this and separate the sheep from the

goats. Now listen, if we can actually

have a discussion farther or Beyond when we all bow the knee

before Jesus and all confess him and all do that, we're all going

to do that even you. And I even though we've done it

in this life, we're going to do it again.

The question is, when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall

confess that Jesus is Lord, the question would be, is it going

to do us any good? If the only time that somebody's

done that is on that day, they did not strive Awfully so saying

all that. Jesus pictures in the 25th

chapter of the Book of Matthew, this scene and he said, people

are going to say, Lord Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name?

Did we not cast out Devils? Did we?

Not do many wonderful works and did we also, did we not do those

things in your name and Jesus said, I will say unto them

depart from me. I never knew you ye that work

iniquity. All if we don't Strive for the

prize like Paul said than very, sadly will be disqualified from

the race. You know, we can certainly look

to the Apostle Paul as our example today and see that he

had great concern for his Brethren.

That was wonderful. As we look at the example of

Paul, you know, Paul was one that didn't stand for things

that were wrong. He stood against things that

were wrong, he stood strong and he stood firm and there was a

time that he had even rebuked Peter.

Remember, Peter, he rebuked him to his.

His face because Peter would not eat with the Gentiles.

And Peter of all people, of all, men should have known that.

The Gentiles were accepted in God's fault, because he was the

one that received the vision. He was the one when the Great

sheet on four corners fell down and all manner of beasts were on

it and Peter in this Vision when he was hungry, he heard the word

of the Lord say, Peter rise kill and eat.

He said not. So Lord, I have never eaten

anything that is. Owen or unclean.

And the Bible says that the Lord said, what I have cleansed or

what I have considered. Okay, let no man call common or

unclean know, of all people. When he went and saw that the

Holy Spirit came to those, those Gentiles in the household of

Cornelius, Peter should have known better, but Peter made a

mistake and Paul withstood him to the face.

Oh, he loved his Brethren, though.

He stood for what was right, but he loved his Brethren.

What a wonderful example that he is.

He was one who was constantly making mention of certain ones

in his prayer. There's he was one that also

said, one time I thank God always on your behalf, you know,

wouldn't it have been great to been on the list, the prayer

list of the Apostle Paul because he spoke of it.

So often and he spoke of all of those that he mentioned in

prayer. You know, when we look to the

example of Paul may we always also follow his example, with

reference to his concern for those that are lost.

Notice what he says. He's not only saying that this

is a job for me to do. That's been given to me.

This is a task that I've been given to do a charge that I must

keep, he takes it even further. And notice what Paul said with

regards to his understanding of what it was for him to do.

And preaching the gospel. Notice what he says in Romans

Romans 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 beginning in verse 14, he said I am a debtor He said, I

am indebted to do this. You know, a debt is something

that we have to pay. When I choose to do something,

that's different. I can choose to do various

things in my life. Paul is saying, this is not a

choice. I am a debtor.

He said, I am indebted. I am and I am a debtor both to

the Greeks, and to The Barbarians, both to the wise and

to the unwise. So as much as in me, I am ready

to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also for I am not

ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto

salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and

also to the Greek. What an example it is for That

we look to the life of Paul and look to the teachings of Paul

and the example of Paul as one that was indebted to preach the

gospel and follow those efforts to save those that are lost.

Oh if we could only have the joy in the suffering that the

Apostle Paul was able to do and actually could rejoice in

Tribulation, like he spoke of from time to time.

What if we could actually do this?

What if we can be in bonds, like Paul?

We can be in bonds, waiting and impending.

Trial, that's going to end up inevitably quite possibly, and

he knew this in his own execution, but listen to live in

such a way, have a faith. That is such that he could say

that regardless of whatever state that I am, and it makes no

difference even in the bonds that I am currently in.

Right now, I am content. Now, you know, he never said,

I'm just so happy. In all the trials of life, he

didn't say, man, I'm really enjoying this.

No, he says, I am content in this, more on that in just a

moment, you know what he's saying?

Is he saying the idea of being content contentment defined is

the follows it is Desiring. No more than what one has it

comes from the Greek word arkeo which means simply to be

satisfied. I'd the idea is that when one is

content, he is satisfied with what he has with no desire for

more covetousness, no longer becomes a problem and that's

really what he's speaking of in. Just a moment, Paul is going,

we're going to talk about how Paul spoke of covetousness and

what he's saying is this, as covetousness is a problem, and

covetousness is a sin, being content is the antidote for such

a sin. The same thing as praying about

everything is the antidote for being anxious.

He's giving us a formula and a pattern to be successful.

He was not saying go out there and living the Christian Life

and be poor. He was not saying go live in a

tent somewhere. He was not saying, don't ever

buy something that's in this world, that we would consider

things, or Frills or whatever. Let me just say this.

I am not saying that there's anything wrong with things.

When we speak of contentment, Paul is not saying don't ever

Aspire for one thing more, it's not saying that either. the

problem is, though, is covetousness, when we covet

things of this world, And we covet them above what we should

and are seeking and following after them becomes a mission,

that we absolutely are derailed from our spiritual Christian

Walk of Life in the pursuit of such that becomes an idol right

then and there and it could be a one dollar bill.

It doesn't have to be making millions.

It can be something very small but if it's not spiritual minded

It's not the word of God. It's not following after the

Christian Life. It's anything Thing, that

derails us that becomes an idol and idolatry is a sin.

That's what he's talking about. I don't think there's one thing

in the world wrong with going out and earning a living.

I don't think. In fact, the Bible says we have

to I don't think there's one thing in this whole world wrong

with with me going out and trying to earn a little extra

money. So I might be able to provide a

little better for my family or even have provide some enjoyment

in my family. I don't think that's wrong

either. That's not the point.

You remember, sometimes this is misquoted or misapplied, you

remember when Jesus, we've talked about when Jesus spoke to

the rich fool, when he spoke to him, and I'm not going to talk

about that. Now, we've spoke about that very

recently, but do you remember when Jesus spoke to the Rich

Young Ruler. You remember what the rich young

ruler asked, Jesus? Before he told him what to do?

He came to him and he wants to know, would you just give me the

one thing? Give me the thing.

Can you give me the thing? Just the thing.

One thing. What do I need to do?

One thing to inherit eternal life and Jesus said, well, I'll

tell you, you go out and take all your possessions and you

sell all of them, you get the money together and you take all

that money, and you give it to the poor, then you take up your

cross and you follow me. Bible says, and we know Jesus

was right in examining this man's heart because the Bible

says, he went away sorrowful for.

He had great possessions. Jesus knew the one thing that he

had to get rid of, because he was guilty of coveting these

things. It wasn't his wealth.

Oh no, it wasn't his wealth at all when Jesus spoke of the rich

fool, it wasn't his wealth either.

In fact, if you look at that Parable, you know what he is

this man actually sitting down. He is looking out over all he

has As he's planning for his retirement, we call that a good

Steward, don't we absolutely one problem.

This night thy Soul shall be required of thee.

In all his plans, God was not in any one of them.

That's the point. He must be first and all the

things that we see in Paul all the things that he has taught,

we must do and apply in our life.

Because Paul said, when after he said, all of these things, he

gives himself. As an example, of regardless of

whatever he is gone through, whatever state he's in, he is

content. And that was something that he

learned, the Apostle Paul, is giving us this formula, and if

we do this, we will never be guilty of covetousness.

You remember in the Apostle, Paul and Hebrews, the 13th

chapter, where he began the last chapter of the book of Hebrews

and, you know, that I believe that the writer of Hebrews is in

fact, the Apostle Paul, he says four things in for Verses and

then he's going to say the fifth thing in the fifth verse really

quickly. This is what he says for things

and four verses. He begins the last chapter of

the book of Hebrews writing to Hebrew Brethren number one.

He said let Brotherly Love continue.

Secondly, show love towards strangers.

Thirdly, remember those that are in prison and others, who are

mistreated. And number four, he says hold

fast fast or hold forth, the marriage and honor and abstain

from fornication and adultery. You see in verse 4, He's talking

about the lust of the flesh, but in verse 5, he talks about the

other things that are equally wrong.

He talks about the lust of the eyes or coveting material

things. Paul said, let your conversation

be without covetousness and be content with such things as you

have for. He has said, I will never leave

thee, nor forsake thee. All of these things are contrary

to the love of the father. In 1st, John Chapter 2,

John 2 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 15, the Bible says, love not the world,

neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him

for all that is in the world. The lust of the flesh, the lust

of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father, but

is of the world and the world passeth away and the lust

thereof, but he that doeth, the will of God abideth forever.

You know, covetousness I wonder tonight.

I do. I wonder tonight, I know there

are folks that have done all they could but there are

extenuating circumstances, I know that.

And I know we talked about this. In fact, folks, I've been trying

to come up with maybe a different plan or a different

way to go about it. Because I tell you something,

there are folks that hear what God's word says, with regards to

their priorities and with regards to worship.

And for some reason, I don't know why.

I don't know why it goes in one ear and goes out the other and

they just well. Let It Go.

I just wonder this. I wonder how many people even

among our number here? That don't have two nickels to

rub together, but are guilty of covetousness have chosen

something else to fix their attention on instead of the

Lord. I'm going to tell you folks, if

that's the case, that's not going to get it.

Paul said what you see and learn.

And here in me, do you know, I know people have various things

and struggles in their life. I really know that I understand

that I do. But I'm also convinced that the

days of the days gone by are gone, by the days, when

preachers used to be able to stand up and scare people with

the word of God, it's gone. I don't know why that is.

I don't know why that people aren't afraid of what the word

of God says anymore. And I'm not talking about

everyone, I'm talking about a lot of people, there's a lot of

folks that here some hard preaching and walk right out the

door and it doesn't have any effect on them at all.

I don't know. I know one thing though, folks,

we got to figure out some way to tell them we really do.

And I just wonder how it is. Even those among our number here

that have just chosen other paths and other things.

Well, the Apostle Paul says, if you are content really by

definition, he's saying you will never be guilty of covetousness

because by definition to be content is to be satisfied with

all that you have and your pursuit of more is not there.

I want to notice with you the vought, the value of

contentment. First of all, from the pain of

uninspired men, even the world knows this about being content.

Socrates said he is richest, who is content with the least

William? Shakespeare said he is well,

paid that is well satisfied. There's an old Chinese proverb

that says he who is content can never be ruined.

Another man said, A contented man is never poor but the

discontented is never rich. And the Apostle Paul.

Here's the divinely inspired man.

He wrote to the young evangelist Timothy in 1st, Timothy 6 and 6.

He said, listen that godliness with contentment is great gain,

you know, what he says is great game.

He says, here's what's great game godliness.

With contentment. That tells me the flip side of

that that godliness without contentment is of no value

godliness with contentment is great gain these things are

expressed by the Apostle. Paul the idea of contentment was

exemplified by Fanny Crosby. Many of you know that name Fanny

Crosby was a blind a blind songwriter and she wrote these

words Oh, what a happy soul. Am I although I cannot see.

I am resolved that in this world.

Contended I would be How many blessings?

I enjoy that. Other people don't to weep

inside because I'm blind, I cannot and I won't we see

contentment exemplified by Helen Keller.

Someone that was blind. Deaf mute and she wrote these

words they took away. What should have been my eyes,

but I remembered Milton's Paradise.

They took away what should have been my ears and Beethoven came

and wiped away my tears. They took away.

What should have been my tongue? But I talked with God when I was

young, He would not let them take away my soul possessing

that I still possess the whole. Oh, and lastly, and certainly

not least. We find contentment exemplified

in someone far greater than these and that was the Aged,

great Apostle, Paul when he was in bonds and he said that even

in his imprisonment, there was good, that was done.

What a great attitude you ever met folks with great attitude I

have, isn't it true? The ones that really don't have

it all that bad usually are the ones that complain the most.

I've seen that maybe you have to But then in every crowd, there's

always a little sister, that's just plodding along.

There's a brother and they really have problems, but you

never hear about it. You never hear about it because

they're too busy. They're too busy serving others.

They're too busy being content in whatever state that they're

in, they're too busy setting, their affections on things above

that. The things of this world just

pale in comparison and they do not matter.

But it always seems like the folks that complain the most are

the ones that do the least what Paul said in Philippians chapter

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

1 and verses 12 through 14. He said but I would you should

understand Brethren that in the things which happened unto me.

They fallen out rather under the furtherance of the Gospel so

that my Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and

in all other places and many of the brethren in the Lord,

Waxing, Confident by my bonds. Get this are much more bold to

speak the word without fear. He was looking at his life, in a

miserable condition in Bonds, in fear in anxiety and all that.

All that was in his face, all that was before him.

And yet he said this, this is good because others have looked

to my example and now they're not afraid and they're speaking

boldly the gospel, he saw the good even through his own

imprisonment but remember this is easier said than done.

We understand that. And Paul said that contentment

was, something that he learned. The question is, before you.

And I tonight, as we wrap up, our study is what then can we

do? What do we do in order to learn

about God's? Providential care.

What do we do to? So that we can learn about how

we can be content, regardless of whatever state that we are in

first, of all. And, first and foremost, we must

never lose sight of the fact that we have faith in a God,

that has providential care over every single one of us and God

is not going to leave his post. He is not going to leave his

side. He's going to be there.

There as our refuge. In fact God never leaves man

until man leaves him. If we never leave God, he will

never leave us. And we understand and God's,

providential care. That God is going to be there

for us. And we have faith, and we have

trust in that. He's going to be our helper, you

know, this is exactly what Jesus meant in Matthew chapter 6, on

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

The Sermon, on the Mount. When Jesus said these words

about God's providential care in Matthew chapter 6, beginning in

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

verse 25, Jesus said, therefore I say Do you take no thought for

your life? What you shall eat or what ye

shall drink nor yet for your body?

What ye shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body

than raiment behold the fowls of the air for they sow, not

neither, do they reap nor gather into barns.

Yet your heavenly father feedeth them are ye not much better than

they, which of You by taking thought can add one cubit unto

his stature and why take ye thought for raiment.

The raiment consider the lilies of the field how they grow they

toil not neither. Do they spin?

And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not

arrayed like one of them. Wherefore if God so clothe the

grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast out of

the oven, shall he? Not much more clothe?

You O ye of little faith. Therefore, take no thought

saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal?

With All, Shall we be clothed? For after all these things do

the Gentiles seek for your heavenly father, knoweth that

you have need of these things. But seek ye first, the kingdom

of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be

added unto you take. Therefore, no, thought for the

morrow for the morrow, shall take thought for the things of

itself. Sufficient unto the day is the

evil, Thereof. You know, if God can clothe the

flowers and the grass of the field. and in his providential

care through nature, can take care of things that are kind of

insignificant Surely, he can take care of our needs to

surely, he can supply, every single thing that we need and

Jesus says, oh, ye of little faith.

Don't worry about that. Because if you do your part and

you seek first, the kingdom, and you go out there and work with

your hands, you can't be lazy and lay on the couch and hope

everything works works out. No, we do our part.

And God takes care of the rest. True contentment, though.

Comes when we realize or learn, what is really Valuable.

And really important. Now, listen to me.

I am not downplaying responsibilities in our life.

I'm not saying that. But folks, when we have

contentment, when we learn that, we don't learn that until we

were able to figure out what really is important.

You know, when we were younger I'm not picking on Young Folks

because guess what, I was right there with you I was right there

just as ignorant as can be, what happens when were young, you

know, like the man said, one time love and youth is wasted on

the young. They don't understand what they

have. And sometimes when we're young,

we're just all over the place. We're thinking about all manner

of things. But I'll tell you this, I've

learned some things and I know you have to and when we sit down

and factor in and figure out what really is important, then

every other thing in the world is not very important to us,

then not really You know, aside from my soul and aside from

serving the lord in all that's entailed in that aside from

that. There's only one thing else in

my life that is really of greater value.

And that's my little three. That's my little family.

You know, when you come to realize that what they really

mean to you, I'll tell you for me, I love to go preach.

I really do but I hate being away from home.

I really do. And whenever I'm detached from

them, man, it's like a big strobe light.

Of what they mean to me. And I got to thinking about this

just today. If the number one important

thing in my life is my soul. And the number two important

thing in my life is my family. What else is there?

I mean really what else have you ever seen a hearse with a U-Haul

trailer hooked up behind it? You never have.

You know why? Because materially speaking.

It's the end of the line. Here's that Undertaker.

And he's going to take that casket, he's going to drop you

down and guess what, everything? You've acquired everything that

you have every material thing you have in your life and ever

have made. It will not matter to you at

that point in time. The only thing that's going to

matter is what state your souls in and that's it.

Your content when you understand about priorities.

I talked about being away from home.

Being away from home is not a location to me.

Being away from home is being away from them. you know, that

tells me this That tells me I have to great jobs.

That's it of all the responsibilities that I will

ever have in my life. I have two jobs that are of

Great Value, everything else pales in comparison.

Number one, number one, I got to get myself to Heaven.

I have to have my soul, say that's number one.

Number two, I have to succeed with them.

That's it. Wouldn't it be awful to fail at

one or both of them? I mean that's all that really

matters. I understand my responsibilities

as a husband and father, I don't want to fail at that.

But I'll tell you this, if my responsibilities and the things

that I do take me away from what should be first in my life,

these little guys are watching. They're watching everything that

we say and everything that we do they are following us.

How are we doing? We succeeding.

Or are we failing? Contentment comes folks.

When you sit down and you realize over the years of all

that you've gone through, or whatever it is, and you look out

and see what's truly important, and you focus on those things

and, you know, this old world can take every single thing,

every single thing away that we have in our life.

So it might hurt and sting, but it won't matter if we've done

our job, right? And when they lay us down and we

take that slow ride in that hearse and they lay our bodies

down. It's not the end of the line for

our soul and on the morning of the Resurrection, we get to go

and be with Jesus and be with God in heaven.

Then none of those things will ever matter.

Finally, Paul said, he said, I can do all things through Christ

which strengtheneth me. Have you ever heard somebody

say? I have I remember back.

I remember specifically a quarterback for the Rams when

they won a Super Bowl and they interviewed him and he said

this, they said, how did you do it?

How did you win the game? And he said, well, this is a

beautiful team that God has put together for this occasion for

this purpose to accomplish his will and his purpose.

And Jesus said, I can do all things through Christ, which

strengthens me. Is that what Paul was talking

about? Jesus doesn't care about a

ballgame. He doesn't care about a sporting

event. He doesn't care about any of

that. He cares about people living in

accordance with his will. That's what he cares about and

if we all do our part, Paul said that their strengths that we

have, that comes from the Lord to do it, that's the best saying

we have strength. That only comes from the Lord to

do all the things that Paul had said.

Said and when we look at the things that Paul had said to do,

they might seem very difficult and Paul is summing the whole

thing up. Don't worry, I've learned all

these things, this is what you're going to do to be

successful, do what I said, do what you've learned?

I've learned to be content, I'm in prison, but don't worry

because whatever you go through, you'll be just like me.

You can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

That's a tremendous blessing, folks.

It really is. Finally, in conclusion. even

though Paul is telling us that we must work out our own

salvation, he talked that We're not left alone to do so in

Philippians chapter 2 and verses 12 and 13.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Paul said, wherefore my beloved as you have always obeyed.

Not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work

out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God

which worketh in you both to Will and to do of his good

pleasure. The Christian is Promised the

necessities of life. That's true.

But folks look at the abundance of Spiritual blessings.

We're not promised an abundance of physical or material things.

But we are promised what really is valuable.

And if our heart is on what it should be, and our Treasures

laid up in heaven, it won't matter.

You know why? Because the treasure we're going

to get and the place we're going to go is far greater than all

the money in the world and none of that matters.

So what's he saying? He said what Jesus was saying,

okay, you're taken care of do these things.

That's all that matters. All That matters in your life

and man is Their Blessings over there and you're going to get

every one of them. You're going to have a mansion

in heaven, you're going to walk on a street of gold, you're

going to have all of these wonderful blessings and they

won't just be here and there, it's an abundance of them.

But don't worry to, I know. You got to earn a living.

I know you got to support your family, put God first.

Do your part set your affections on things above?

Not on things on the earth? Lay your treasure up in heaven

and God will provide the rest. That's reassuring to a

Christian. That really is.

Remember this morning though Remember this morning, when I

said that meditation is imperative to renewing the mind

and a person cannot really stay transformed if they'd stop

renewing their mind. That's why.

When we hear in God's word, certain things we need to keep

hearing it. When we read things in God's

word, we need to keep reading it.

Why, why is that? Because in meditating upon these

things, we are constantly renewing our mind.

There's enough distraction of their folks.

We need the word of God in our lives.

That's all I have tonight. We thank you for listening to

our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional

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