The Secret to Contentment

Good morning, and welcome with us. I'm glad that you're here with us

this morning. If you have your Bible to turn with me to Philippians four.

Philippians four, and we're going to start in verse ten in just a

moment. So last week we did a message on securing our minds, and

there in that passage Paul talked about being anxious and don't be anxious for anything

but everything by prayer and supplications. And you know, many times when it

comes to being anxious, many times our anxiety or our anxious spirits come from

worries, worries about something, worries about something that we have. So maybe

it's a need or an issue that we're facing. And many times that the

lack of that need being met brings anxiety, brings anxiousness to us. And

I want you to just think about for us as we just continue that thought

this morning. As Paul continues that thought this morning, he begins talking about

the subject of contentment. And today we're going to talk about the secret of

contentment, I want you to think about just a need in your life.

To ask you this morning, just if you think something with me, If

if a particular need in your life was met today? Would that make you

be happy? Would it make you content? Would it make you feel satisfied?

Would it make you maybe be a happier person today? And what would

that be? What would that be? What would be that one need or

that one issue or that one yeah need that you need to be met in

your life that would make you happier, That would make you feel more satisfied

or more fulfilled or more or maybe a happier person. Is it just maybe

as a young people, as a teenagers or maybe singles today, if you

would just find that man or you must just find that woman, you find

that girl, or you found that boy, if you had that boyfriend,

you had that girlfriend, or you had that spouse or that future mate,

would that make you a happier, satisfied or fulfilled person? Maybe you today?

Maybe if if I could just find a better job and I could just

just not satisfied with my current work environment, if I had a different job,

things would be better for me. Maybe if it's I just if I

would finish school, if I would get out of school, high school or

college or some other degree. If I could just complete this degree I'm working

on, I would be happier. I'd be more satisfied, would be fulfilled.

Maybe as if if it would be maybe if my spouse would change.

Maybe you are in a relationship and you're married today, and you like if

if she would just change, if he would just change, if he would

just stop leaving his socks by the bed and just actually put them in the

clothes hamper, I would be a better It make me happier. Or if

he would clean up the dishes or just help around the house, or she

would do this, or just whatever it may be. Maybe it is not

just say getting something. Maybe it is a relationship issue that something. Maybe

it's an issue with your child. If my child would change, if my

child would just listen, if they would would listen to me and change.

And maybe it's an issue with a child that you're fresh traded with, and

if that child would change, you'd be happier, you'd be more fulfilled.

Maybe maybe it's a health issue today. Maybe you say today you're dealing with

some chronic illness. Maybe you're you're and you just say today, if this

illness was healed, as I would be delivered from this cancer or this heart

disease, or this issue with my back or this issue with whatever it may

be, If if I could just be healed from this, I'd be better.

I'd be happier, I'd be more satisfied. Maybe today it's say mental

health issue. Maybe used battled depression, maybe battled anxiety. And you know

you fought with this and battled this for many years in your life, and

it seems like it keeps you as a prison. If you just think,

if I could just overcome my mental health issues, I would be happier.

I'd be more fulfilled, I'd be more satisfied. Maybe it is a financial

issue today. Maybe you say, if if I could get out of debt,

if I could pay out that credit card, to pay out that car

payment, get rid of some of the financial issues that we're having today,

I would be happier. I would be satisfied, I'd be fulfilled. Maybe

it is a if I could just pay off my house. And maybe you

have a house, or maybe you're not happy with the house you're living if

I could just get a better house, or maybe it my car is a

clunker, and if I could just get a different car. And so I

say this because many of us every day, I promise you every day of

your life, and every week of your life, there's some type of crisis

that you're facing or some type of issue that you're facing, and for that

day or for that week, many times we evaluate we would be happier if

we can just overcome the present circumstances, whether it is a relationship circumstance or

with the spouse, or maybe a relationship of warning a relationship, or maybe

it's a relationship issue with a friend, and you're going through that circumstance that

week. Many times, in that week's time or that daytime, if we

could just overcome this circumstance with this relationship, things would be better. Or

maybe it is a health issue or a mental health issue, and you're battling

that this week or this last month, or even this last year, and

you say, if things would just get better this week with this health issue,

or if I could just go to a doctor and get a different diagnosis,

or if I could just find some a little bit of help or even

healing physically or mentally, I would be better. Or maybe it is a

financial If I could just get over this issue financially that I'm dealing with,

things would be better in my life and as we come to this past today.

I think all of us at times we think that we can find happiness

in or find contentment in if simply if our circumstance would change, circumstances would

change physically, mentally, circumstances changes relationally, or circumstance would change financially,

I would be better, I would be happier, I would be satisfied.

This morning, Paul shows us the secret to contentment in my hope today,

as we've studied this passage of scripture, is for you to consider. Where

are you? Where are you finding your contentment? Are you finding your contentment

and the hope that a circumstance would change? Are you finding your contentment this

morning? In the Lord? Will you stand with me? Let's read God's

word Philippians four, chapter four. We start in verse ten, and let's

read the word of the Lord together. The Bible says in Philippians four to

ten, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, now at length that you have

received your revived, your concerned for me. You were indeed concerned for me,

but had no opportunity, not now speaking of being neat for I've learned

and what every situation I'm to be content. I know how to be brought

low, and I know how to abound. And in any and every circumstance,

I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. That's why Verse fourteen

says it was kind of you to share my trouble and your Philippians yourselves know

that at the beginning of the Gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church

entered partnership with me and giving and receiving except you. Even in that's Unaikah,

you sent help from my needs once again. Not that I'm seeking the

gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I receive

full payment and more, and I'm well supplied having received from aphroditis the gift

that you sent a fragrant or offering a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches and glory

and Christ Jesus to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Let's pray together, Lord, we thank you Lord for today, and

Lord, I pray that we would consider Lord, what are we searching for

today what we're where. We're leaking to find our happiness, our contentment,

our fulfillment, our satisfaction in today, whether it is the circumstances change would

change financially, relationally, or within our health. Today, I pray we

consider Lord, how we need to find our contentment in you. Lord.

So Lord, lead us through the truth of your word. Lord, we

know today as we stand and read your word, that these are not my

words. This is your word. It's without error, and it is Lord,

the authority which we should live our life by. So Lord, today,

may we give Lord your word our attention. So Lord, I pray

that you would free us from every distraction from this room or from this that's

in our minds. And Lord, we cast everything away and set our eyes

and our focus on you. Lord. We come today, Lord to hear

your words. The Lord, I pray you would speak, give me clarity

of speech, or poor Lord, I pray you cleanse me, that you

might use me as your instrument. Today, Lord, for your glory and

our good. In your name, we pray, Amen, you may be

seated the secret of contentment, the secret of contentment. First, we find

the secret to contentment in God's provision. As you come to this passage of

scripture, Paul uses the word contentment. You see that in this passage of

here, in verse eleven, not on speaking being need, I've learned,

in whatever situation, to be content. The word content from the Greek actually

means having enough. It means to be content with what one has, to

be content with circumstances in which one exists. The imagery is I have enough,

and I'm satisfied with what I have. What I have my possessions.

But not only am I satisfied with what I have in my possessions, I'm

also satisfied in the circumstances of which I'm living. Okay, So if you

take that into what I've said at the very beginning, God, I'm satisfied

with financial provisions that you have given me the things that I need here to

live and to operate. God, I'm satisfied with what You've given me there.

But God, I'm also satisfied with the circumstances I live. I'm satisfied

with the circumstances of the relationships that I'm in. I'm satisfied with the circumstances

of what my body is going in. God I'm satisfied. I'm content with

what I possess relationally, physically, or financially. I'm satisfied. I don't

long for more, I don't long for things to change. I am satisfied.

And that's exactly what Paul says in this passage scripture. He says,

I've learned to be content. But Paul even goes to describe how he is

content. He talks about the financial issues, he talks about the emotional issues.

Listen what he says in verse I'm eleven now I'm speaking of not that

I'm speaking of being of need. I've learned, in whatever situation I am,

to be content. I know how to be brought low. I know

how to abound. I know how to in any and every circumstance. I've

learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and needs. So Paul

says, Lord he said, He says to this church in PHILIPPI, Hey,

I know what it's like being I know what I know what it's like

to be in times of being low. I know what's time to where times

where I feel like emotionally I just I'm down, I'm discouraged, and I'm

low. Have bad days. I know what it's like to have a bad

day. I know what it's like to have a good day, abound,

have a good day where it seems like everything kind of goes my way.

I know what it's like to have times where it's not just a day.

I know what all say it is like to be month and years where things

don't go my way. I know times where it seems like years things do

turn out right. I also know there's times where physically there's been needs.

I know what it's like to live in a time of needs. I know

what it's like to live in times where it seems like I have plenty.

I know what it's like to live in times where I'm hungry. And in

all those times, whether emotionally I'm abounding, or I have a bad day,

or there's times where physically I'm hungry, or also in the days where

I got to go met Donalds and I large sized it. You know what

I mean. I've got the big mac in the large frye and the large

sweet tea. I mean, I know the good days, and in every

circumstances, emotionally or physically, I've learned to be content now in this passive

scripture, if you look at it, he says in verse twelve. Let's

do what he says. And by the way, not only Paul says this

in Philippians, he also proclaims us throughout many of his letter. He says

in One Timothy and teaching a young pastor, he says he's telling him about

being godly. And he says in in One Timothy six and verses six through

eight, but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into

this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we

have food and clothing, with these things, we will be content. He's

tell Timothy, Timothy, there's great godliness and contentment. The right of Hebrews

says in Hebrews thirteen to five, keep your life free of money, be

content with what you have, for I said I will never leave you nor

forsake you. We see Paul and the writer of Hebrews talk about the discipline

of contentment, and Paul continues to only say these in other passages. And

Hebrews tells us the supports of contentment. But Paul, like in this pastor

of Scripture, he's he's showing this church, listen, I think it's very

important. I love what Paul does here. Paul never comes to a place

that says, I want you to do this, but I'm not going to

live it. You know, you ever heard that person don't do as I

do, do as I say. You know, Paul's not one of those

persons. He's listen, I'm telling you to be content, but I'm not

coming from a place of I want you to do something now, I'm not

doing myself. I'm coming from a place of I've been here, I know

what it's like. I know what you're facing. And so he tells in

the ports of contentment, and he demonstrates that we see this also, Paul

demonstrate this and Philippians four nine, where he says, what you've learned and

received and heard and seen in me practice these things. I think Paul understands

it's not important for me to teach contentment, but it's also important for me

as an apostle, as a pastor to lead by example. And he says,

listen, I'm showing you I've learned what it's like to be content.

I've taught you and as I taught Timothy, and we've talked other places about

I want you to see it in my life. But in verse twelve he

says something here it's interesting, and he says, I know how to be

brought low, and I know how to abound, and then the universe circumstances,

I've learned a secret. I don't know if you watch Andy Griffin,

but I love that show. I grew up watching that show. Drives Brandy

crazy, but I still like watching it. There's an episode where Opie.

I don't know if it's called the I forgot the name of the episode,

but in the episode, the Keeper of the Flame was the name of the

episode. That's it. In the episode, Opie joins a boys club that

called the Wildcats, you remember, and they brought him in and they go

out into one of the neighbors barns, right, and they go in the

barn and they choose Opie to be the Keeper of the Light. And what

is the light? The lights the candle. They have little candle and they

when they had their secret meetings, they have to light the candle and Opie's

in charge of keeping the candle in the matches and keeping them hidden, and

he's got to make sure he has them. And when they have their secret

meetings. He's going to make sure he brings the candle and the matches so

they can light the flame before they have the official meeting, right, And

that's what's happening in the episode. You remember, Andy comes and finds out

and he tries to get Opie to talk by Opie can he's sworn to allegiance,

you know. And so it's a big secret. That's the imagery that

Paul is using here. He's actually using in the Greek the imagery of a

word of secret that was used by cult pagan cults that were talking about different

secret handshakes and different secret things that they've done. And Paul is saying,

listen, I've learned a secret of contentment. I've learned something that many people

don't know, and that is the godly calling that God's called us to be

content. I've learned a secret of this. And so then in this passage

scripture, you really unpacks what is the secret. And the first secret,

as I've said to you before, the first secret is of contentment, is

the secret of God's provision. Now Oh writes this letter, he actually the

Book of Philippi is a letter. I think he may have known that,

but as Philippians is actually to a letter to the church at Philippi. Philippi

was the first church that Paul started on his second missionary journey, as he

had the Macedonian call and he went in and this is modern day Europe.

This is the first church that Paul started in Europe. We'll eventually get there

as we get back to Acts. But as we go into Acts, we'll

see him go into this church and there's where he was arrested and put in

a prison, and he shares the gospel of Philippi and jailer and just a

revival starts and the church starts, and that's where Paul was. Ten years

have passed since Paul started this church. After Paul started this church, he

went on and started other churches throughout Europe, and ten years of pass ten

years ago after he started the church, when he went to Tasanaka, the

church in Philippi is sent a gift to Paul. One of the things that

happened in Gregor Roman world. To show that you really had friendship with someone,

you would give them a gift to demonstrate that you are a friend.

Many times when we go to other countries doing mission trips, I could think

of a trip we did a few years ago, and when we would go

to a different home that we would stay in, we would give every home,

every person who hosted us a gift, and that was a sign to

them that they are our friends, and they would also want to give us

a gift to show us that they were our friends. And it wouldn't have

to be something huge monetary value, but it was just something a simple expression

of ic U as a valued friend. Well, they did that. The

Church of Philip Highs sent Paul a gift right after he left. And then

ten years have passed, and after ten years, Paul is now imprisoned in

Rome. By the way, he's changed up. He's got a guard that

watches him night and day. And the Church of Philip h has heard about

that, and they have sent him a gift. And he writes a letter

of Philippians to thank them for their gift. So we're coming to the last

chapter of this letter and Paul starts writing about this gift. He thanks them

for this gift, and at the very beginning, I want you to see

this because I think it's very important. In verse ten, he starts explaining

and starts thanking them, and he says, he describes how appreciative by the

way we do this, right, if somebody gives you a gift, and

many times you'll write a thank you card, thanking them for the gift.

And that's what this letter is, is a thank you letter. And so

he begins talking about the gift. Look what verse ten says, I rejoice

in the Lord greatly now that length that you revived your concern from me.

And so he says, listen, I rejoice when Ephriditis and we see that

later in the passage. Aphrodias is a messenger who brought the gift from the

Church of Philippi to Paul. We don't know what it was. It could

have been monetary money, it could been closed, it could have been food

whatever. Being in prison, Paul wouldn't be able to go to Walmart and

get what he needed. He wouldn't be able to do a delivery order to

the prison. He depended upon the support of others to bring food. Other

thing is bare necessities to him. The Church of Philippi has taken part of

that and as sent Effortitis and brought him in caring for his very need.

And Paul's writing to thank them for that, and he says to them,

those kind of strangers. You read the passage. You read the first verse,

he says, our rejoice greatly and now at length that you revived your

concern for me. It almost comes across as you read that it was like,

well, they really weren't concerned from him before. But then Paul like

conditionally responds to that idea, and listen to what he says. You were

indeed concern for me, but she had no opportunity. Paul was saying,

listen, hey, you revived your concern for me, and that you gave

me a gift. Just been ten years since you had given me a gift.

And then Paul explains, and this is one of this is so important.

I'm taking a lot time explain this. Paul is saying, listen,

in this next verse, not that you did not want to give, but

for the last ten years you had no opportunity. You know what he means

by that you didn't have the money, You didn't have the resources. For

ten years, you've heard about what's happening. You've heard that I've been in

prison, and you've been concerned, but you've financially then not have the means

by which you could give to me. And so although you had concern,

although you had love, although you wanted supported me, you could not financially

do it. But God, then after ten years, God give you supplied

your need in order for you to care for me. And you did that,

and he's praising, he's rejoicing over that. But I want you to

understand something in this passage scripture, Paul was saying, in those ten years,

I've had times where I've been to hungry. In those last ten years,

there's been times where I've been down. And Paul understands in this passage

scripture and those last ten years of being low and being down and being hungry,

God could provided if he wanted to. You see, God is the

one who supplied the needs. And we see that. Look at the passage

of scripture, and my God verse nineteen will supply every need of yours according

to his richest in Christ, Jesus. He says, listen, God gave

you what you needed that you might give it to me. And God,

over these last ten years have been the one who providentially, sovereignly has been

supplying for my needs and your needs. And I understand today my contentment is

and that God is the great provider. You gave the gift, but God

gave you the gift, and God gave you the gift at the right time.

Can I tell you when you come to contentment in your life, it

must come to a place where you recognize I'm going to find a secret and

contentment when I first understand that it's God who supplies in my needs. He

is the source. And God at this moment in your life, absolutely he

has the power to change that relationship. God has the power and the ability

to change your financial picture. He has the power to change your health.

But God will do it in his time, in his way, and you

and I must come to the understanding if we're going to be content it comes

to a place where we say, God, I want you to be the

provider, and I'm going to trust in your provisions, in your time and

in your plan, not in my time or in my plan or in my

provisions. Because this is how we fought. We fought out of contentment.

When we fall out contentment, when we say God, you're not moving fast

enough. God, you're not fixing my health, like you're not fixing my

finances, like you're not fixing this relationship. So God, I tell you,

I know you're in control. I know you have the power. I

know you can provide. But God, let me help you out a little

bit. Let me help you out with this relationship God, I think I

can fix it. Or God, let me help you out with this financial

issue. I think I can fix it. God, let me help you

out with my health issue or what relationship issue? I think I can fix

it. And in that we said God, we take God off the throne

and say, God, I really don't need you to provide. I really

can take care of him myself. And we put God out of the picture

and we put ourself into place of God, and then listen. Then it

falls apart, or then we go into the right race of trying to continue

to every week, every day change the circumstance ourself instead of saying God,

I'm going to depend upon you. And as we come to Deuteronomy read this

week. We have been reading Deuteronomy over the last few weeks in our ball

reading, and I love Deuteronomy eight. Deuteronomy eight. They've been in wilderness

for forty years, so there's been a lot of hunger. There's been a

lot of frustration, a lot of God. I don't like what you're doing.

I don't really like where we are. I don't like live in intense

and moving place to place. I don't like having a home. I don't

like eating the manna. I I don't like the water. And God says

and Deuteronomy ate as he's as they're leaving the Promised Land, they're on the

border of going in, going crossing over the Jordan and going into the Promised

Land, and and Deuteronomy ate, he's it's like warning labels. You know,

you ever got to boy a new appliance like a hair dryer, And

on the bottom of that, it's got like a little tags's warning. Right,

what does that mean? It means somebody has done something not what they're

not supposed to do with this, right, Like it's intended to wash her

hair, right, And you know it's got crazy things on there, like

don't use in the shower, you know, like that means somebody did that

at one point, you know that, right, And so it's warning you

because it can be a blessing, but it also can be dangerous, right.

And Deuteronomy eight he's telling them, listen, you've got to be warned.

You're about to have some blessings. You're about to go on too promised

land. You're about to go into the land full of milk and honey and

all everything that I can never I'm actually about to give you your own homes

and bless you like I've never blessed you before. But be warned before you

go into that land, and listen the way it says, and dude on,

mate, you shall remember the whole way of the forty years in the

wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in

your heart nether, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Where he

humbled you, let you you hunger and feed you with manna, which you

do not know, nor did your fathers know that he might make. And

know you that man does not live off of bread alone, but man lives

by every word that comes from the mouth the Lord. Listen to this.

Your clothing did not wear out on you, your foot did not swell these

forty years. Know then in your heart, as a man disciplines his sons,

the Lord, your God, disciplines to you, disciplins you. You

know, it's saying to people of is Israel, Hey, you're about to

go into promised Land. But I don't want you to forget the last forty

years. There's been times where you've been hungry. There's times that you struggled,

and then those times I've been testing you. And what is the test

or whether you're going to depend upon me and my provisions or where you're going

to depend upon yourself, where you're gonna live for me, or whether you're

gonna live for yourself. And listen to the imagery there in verse three,

that he might make known to you that man does not live by bread alone,

but man lives by every word that comes from about the Lord. Today,

as you're battling contentment discontentment, are you living only for what God will

provide for you? Or are you trying to provide for yourself? Once you

see next in this passage scripture, we find the secret can in God's provision.

We find a secret of contentment in in God. And I want you

to see this in this passive scripture verse twelve. I think it's very important

as you just let's just reread it again. He says, not that I'm

speaking of being in need, but I've learned in whatever situation I'm to be

content. I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound

in in every circumstance. I've learned the secret of faith and plenty and hunger,

abundance and need. So what's the secret of being content? He says.

The secret is in whatever situation, whatever circumstances. In times of being

low, in times of bound I ain't content. Right, so Paul says,

whether I'm having a bad day, I'm content. Whether it's a good

day, I'm content. Whether it's at times of plenty, I'm content.

Where it's times of hunger, I am content. Whereas time of abundance,

God's given me more than I can ever ask of. Or in times where

it just seems like I don't have enough, I am content. So Paul

says, in this pastor of Scripture, I found the secret of contentment.

The seecing is knowing that God is the provider contentment in God's provision. But

secondly, the secret of contentment is having my contentment. Listen to this,

not in the circumstance, not in the need. The secret of contentment's finding

my contentment here, listen to me in God himself. I think it's if

you don't hear any word I say for the rest of the day. I

hope you hear that. The secret of contentment is not finding our commitment,

our contentment in our how good our day are bad is? I mean,

how good or bad our day is. Secret tentment is not finding our contentment

and whether we have enough food that day or whether we don't have enough food.

The secret contentment is not finding our contentment and whether we're abounding and have

abundance of provisions or we have need. The secret of contentment is finding our

contentment, not in circumstances, but finding our contentment in God. That's what

Paul says. That's the way he says in verse twelve and thirteen. I

know how to be brought low and know how to bound in every circumstance.

I've learned a secret face and plenty of hunger, abundance and need. Listen

to this verse thirteen. I can do all things what through him. It's

probably a passage scripture, maybe misused the most of all of scripture. You

know you think about this. Athletes probably quote this passage maybe the most,

and you if you think about their imagery. I can hit a home run

through Christ who gives me strength. There I can I can hit, I

can dunk right through Christ who gives me strength. There I can maybe win

a championship, or I can go to the majors right through Christ, who

gives me strength. But the imagery of this passage of Scripture is not about

us fulfilling our dreams of hitting that home run or winning that game, or

winning that championship. What Paul is saying here, if I can do all

things, and the all things is here, is I can. I can

get through a bad day through him. I can get through a good day

through him. I can go through times of hunger through him. I can

go times of plenty through him. I can go through times where it just

seems like I have more than enough, to times where it seems like every

day is a very struggle emotionally, physically, relationship. I can make it

through it through Him. Paul says, the source of my contentment is not

in things, or relationships or circumstances. The source of my contentment is the

Lord. It's through Him. My contentment is not on the circumstances. My

contentment is on Him. I just challenge you today, what is your contentment

in I think the trouble is and I think very important as we come to

this passage scripture that Paul wants you and I to see here is that our

contentment must be Him above everything else. I think of a lady as I

was preparing this message. I think about a lady. We got BBS a

few in a few weeks, and here's a lady who family came to our

church as a result of BBS at the church I was in in South Carolina,

and I remember visiting her home like we do when someone visited. We'd

go and visit the house, and we visit the house and hear this lady.

She had like four kids, and she was living with the man.

They weren't married, and they'd been living together for a while, and we

tried to love on her, love her children. They started coming to church,

and a few years later there was a crisis in the home and she

had to leave that home because of the safety of her and her children.

And she would leave that home and get in another relationship with another man.

We begin living with him, and we would try to continue to love on

the family, try to share Christ with them, but also stand for truth

in reports of how Gods define the home between a husband and a wife and

what God said about living together, we would be truthful and honest, but

also continue to be loving and want her to come. I'll never forget.

One Sunday morning, it was after a church service. She came up to

me and she said, Pastor, and it talk to you. She was

crying and she was upset, and I said, what's going on, what's

happening? And she said, I'm just so upset about my daughter. And

I said, what's going on with her? She was like fifteen, sixteen

years old. She said, well, she's got in this relationship with this

boy and I just don't approve with him. I don't think he's good.

I'm thinking of the Lord, and I think it's a bad relationship. And

over the last few weeks, she's been slipping out at night and she's been

sneaking out with him, and it got so bad. I told her she

had to stop doing it started being with that boy. She had to get

away from him. And just this last night she ran away. She'd be

gone for two nights with this boy. And I don't know what she is

and I don't know what to do. I just need the Lord. I

just need the Lord. I just need the Lord's help. And I did

everything I could and point her to Christ. But here's the issue with that

situation. She wasn't finding contentment with the Lord. Do you hear me?

Her contentment was in living with the man. She wanted God to fix her

problems, but she wasn't content to saying I'm gonna find my happiness and my

joy and my peace and my fulfillment in this life and only God her in

her life. She says, I'm gonna find my commitment and fixing a relationship

with having a man, having a relationship with a man outside of wedlock.

But when Christis comes and I don't know what to do about it, I'll

run to God. Can I tell you? Paul is saying, listen,

Foundationally, Foundationally, our contentment must be in Christ. You can't have it

in one thing and then want God to help you out with another. If

we if we make, if we take and say I'm gonna put my contentment

in this relationship, but God, I need your help when things go bad,

all we do is reduce God to a genie. Well, we say,

God, I'm the king of my life, and I really want my

life about what I want in life and God. When things don't work out

in my world, I'll bring you along to fix up my mess. And

Paul says, contentment is saying and every need, every relationship, every material

possession, and everything in my life, my contentment is in Him. That's

what Roman's eight I think is so important for us understand this because Roman's eight

says, it's my favorite passage of Scripture. For we know that that for

those who love God, all things work together for the good. But listen

to this for those who are called according to His purposes. I encourage you

today, friends, may we find contentment in God's provision, but primarily,

may we find our contentment in the Lord. There'll be things all in this

world to try to pull you away and try to and get you to find

your contentment. And then whether it's relationship, whether there's finances, or whether

it's things or whatever, whether it's your job or your career, and God

can be second, you let it be first, and then you just act

God, a little bit of God and know God saying, listen, I

need to be first if you're when I have found comment in this life,

I've got to be first, which you see. Thirdly, and lastly,

this morning we find a secret contentment in God's power. You know, he

says in this passage of verse thirteen, I can do all things through him,

but listen to this last part, who strengthens me. I want to

ask you this as we finish up this morning. What if your circumstance doesn't

change? I ask you this morning, as you began, what was something

and that if something would change, you'd be more satisfied. What was that

thing in your life, whether the relationship, financial issue, or physical issue,

And if that would change this week or change today, you'd be more

satisfied and more happy or whatever it may, more content. What if that

didn't change for the rest of your life. Your marriage didn't get better,

your child didn't change, Your health doesn't change, your depression doesn't leave,

your finances doesn't change. You have whatever it is today you're battling with that

circumstance that just frustrating you to death. What if it doesn't change? You

know? The Bible says that Paul and Second Corinthians Paul confesses that the Lord

give him what he called a thorn in the flesh, and it's something that

plagued Paul and then Second Corinthians twelve. Paul confesses he's talking to the Church

of corinth about this, and he says, I pleaded with the Lord about

this. Three times. I begged the Lord, Lord, take it away.

God, you got to do something about it. I pleaded with the

Lord, he says. He says in verse ases, three times I pleaded

with the Lord about this that it should leave me. But he said,

my grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weakness, that the power

of Christ may rest upon me for the sake of Christ. Then I am

content. Listen to this with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, calamity.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. Now, Paul

says, like maybe you today, Hey, there's something in my life and

I'm bleeding and bleeding with the Lord. Would you just take it? Lord,

just take it from me. God. I'm tired of it, I'm

weary, I'm unhappy, I'm unsettled, I'm unsatisfied. And Contentment says Lord,

I'll trust you in provisions, God. Contentment says, God, you

will be what I am. Content on, Lord, you or what I

find my happiness, my fulfillment in. And then thirdly, contentment says,

I find the secret contentment Lord, in your power that God, when I'm

weak and I'm tired, and I wanted to leave that God all the rest

in your power in me, Johnny Erics and Tada, I don't know if

you'll close with this, and Ben if you want to come up Johnny Erics

In'tata was the voted the best athlete in her school. She just graduated high

school and she was going on a vacation and she was in the Chesapeake and

she decided she'd dive off and do a dive. She was a swimmer,

she played tennis and she dove off. She dove in the area and she

thought it was deeper than it was, and it was that she hit the

bottom. She had the sand, and immediately she felt her body go completely

paralyzed. The first she said, she got out of the water. They

got her body and they took her out and put her onto the there and

she said, the first thought come to my mind was what was I thinking?

I thought I could do that? What was I thinking trying to dive

off? And then she said the monks came past. She said, I

started realizing that things weren't going to come back. She said, I started

getting desperate. She had to have a little thing, a little mouthpiece that

she'd put in her mouth to flip and turned the pages. And she started

scanning through the Bible to to find hope, and she found passages of scripture

where Jesus was healing the paralytic. Because she realized that that's it, that's

that's what I need. I just need Jesus to heal me. And so

she would begin calling her church, and she went before church and the elders

laid hands on her and annoying her body that she would be healed. She

wasn't. She said, I confess every sin I could ever think, I

ever committed to the Lord. She said. She began going to healing services.

She went to two different places, and on the way home one night,

just despair, she still couldn't remove her arms and her legs, and

she went into a deep depression. She said this, She said, I

was so upset. I said, what kind of savior, what kind of

rescue were? What kind of healer would refuse a prayer of a paralytic,

especially one who claims to love the Lord. She said, for months,

for a week, she didn't get out of bed, and one morning she

finally her sister came in and got a stand kind of like they have put

it in front of her, and put a Bible in front of her.

And she said, that day I got that thing in my mouth and I

just started flipping through and listen to this. She said, I realized that

God was more concerned about She started realizing that God was more concerned about her

heart than he was her body. So she knew in that moment that she

had never really put her faith in Jesus. She just tried to ask Jesus

to forgive her of her sins that he might heal her body. And she

said this, God is more concerned with me conforming to the lightness of his

Son than leaving me in my comfort zones. God is more interested in my

inward qualities than my outward circumstances, things like refining my fate, humbling my

heart, cleaning up my thought life, strengthening my character. Can I tell

you today, God's more concerned about your heart and making you more into what

he wants you to be than whether changing about changing your circumstances and contentment says

like Joni says in her testimony, Contentment is saying God, I'll trust you

with your provisions. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow,

but God, in your timing, you'll provide rest in you. Contentment

says God. I'm not gonna find my contentment in things of this world,

or my relationships, or my money or my my health. God, I'm

gonna put my contitpment in you. God. I want you to be what

satisfies my soul. Contentment says Lord, what I'm tired of. Maybe you're

just like Johnny. Johnny did everything in her power to fix it, and

she came to a place where she realized, God, there's nothing in me.

They can fix this. God, I've got to rest not in my

power, but God, I got arrest in yours. Would you do that?

Every hit about every I close. God's speaking to you today. I

pray today, if the Lord has drawn you to him today. Maybe it

is today you're frustrated. Maybe there is a circumstance in your life. There's

a relationship, it's a financial issue, whatever it may be. Today,

He's saying, listen, rest in my provision, my plan, my time,

my provision. Find contentment in what I have for you today. The

Lord is saying, listen, don't find your contentment in things of this world,

or in yourself, or in a relationship, or in money or your

job or your career or your relationships. Find your contentment in me. Maybe

you say. Lastly, God, I don't want to do things by my

power anymore. I'm tired of trying to fix it. God. Lord,

I, as Paul says, I want to be content for the sake of

Christ. I want to be content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution,

calamities, because when I'm weak, Lord, you are strong. Lord,

be strong for me today. Or I thank you Lord for this morning.

I thank you Lord for your word. Lord. I sense your presence

in this room. God, you're speaking the hearts of people today. I

pray that today it would be a day that Lord, they just lay down

their burdens to you, Father, maybe to holding on to something. God

today and today is to day that you're guissing them to lay it down at

your feet, to trust you with it, surrender it over to you.

I pray they'd be those a spirit of surrenderer. Lord, give us this

morning, or I pray they be fop will respond to you. Some that

would say, Lord, I trust Lord, your and your timing, your

provisions and your plan for me. Lord. I pray it'd be some today

said Lord, I'm tired of trying to find my fulfillment and other things in

a relationship, in my marriage, and getting things or accomplishing things. Lord.

Today I want to find my fulfillment in you, Lord, my contentment

in you. Pray it'd be those who say, Lord, I'm tired of

operating in my weak power. Lord, I want to rest in your power

in me. Help me find contentment in my circumstances by resting in your strength.

Lord, Lord, give me strength to day. Lord. We love

you, We thank you Lord for this morning. Lead us now. We

pray Jesus to