Learning Contentment

Young ladies did certainly way better than the men.

So just thought I'd clarify that.

That was tremendous.

I appreciate the work that goes into that, all the effort by

our adults as well.

Again, happy Mother's Day and so glad to see you here this morning.

This is good again to have Brother Mark and Miss Tracy Brown

with us this morning.

Brother Mark and I have been friends a very long time and just

shows us how old we are.

He's older than me, no doubt, but he did mention in Sunday school,

and I failed to mention that I, at the age of 18, had the opportunity

to be a youth pastor in my hometown in the big metropolis of

Bowie, Texas, huge town just 60 miles north of here.

It's a small town and I was there for a year and a half as youth

pastor, and Brother Mark Brown followed me.

I want to apologize publicly for having to follow me.

And then we had opportunity to drive to college together some over

that period of that year.

And we graduated Norris Baptist Bible Seminary together,

the big class of four.

We were half the class and the better half of the class, no doubt.

Yeah, better half of the class.

Brother Mark has pastored and this Last pastorate was 22 years

at Maranatha Baptist Church there somewhere in Columbus, Georgia,

and tremendous work there.

His son now pastors that church, Brother Troy, and doing a

fantastic job.

And yes, Brother Mark Brown is kin to Brother Wiggins, and so that

makes him famous.

And Brother Wiggins, some of you are visiting and you don't know

who Brother Wiggins is, but Brother Wiggins was our associate

pastor for 12 years.

But they are canon.

I appreciate Brother Mark's willingness, driving all the way

from here from Tennessee, and appreciate him very much.

Come on, preach for us.

Amen.

Well, I am older than him, but I'm better looking, so, you know,

it's a balance.

Amen.

It is good to be here.

Appreciate the friendship with the Crawfords for many years.

The Stones, we know them, appreciate them as well.

And yes, I am kin to Brother Michael.

He is my cousin, and we'll leave it at that.

Amen.

But it's good to be here.

And we've had the opportunity to be here on several occasions through

the years.

And it's always, always a blessing.

And I will say happy Mother's Day and what a special day that is.

We're not going to be preaching on Mothers and Mother's

Day.

I think my wife took care of that this morning.

Amen.

But we do want to say happy Mother's Day.

It's always a special day.

That position an honored position.

And my mother passed away when I was 18 years old.

And so sometimes it's a little bit of a bittersweet day for me,

but.

And I think many can identify with that, but that still does not

take away from the special day that it is.

And I want to wish all the mothers here a very happy Mother's

Day.

Amen.

All right, Philippians chapter number four.

We're going to get moving this morning.

Philippians chapter number four.

While you're turning there, I want to kind of just again say, I

appreciate, Brother Crawford the opportunity to stand behind your

pulpit.

I don't take that lightly.

It's.

It should be.

And I know with him, it is a guarded thing, and I appreciate the

opportunity this morning.

Philippians chapter number four.

There was a large landowner, and just since we're here, we'll

say he was in the state of Texas.

Okay.

Large landowner.

He lived in a home on that piece of property, a large piece

of property.

And he was told that his home and property.

It was rumored that it was the property and the home place of a

notorious outlaw many years prior.

And the story was told that this outlaw had robbed several banks.

And the rumor was, the story was that he hid all the money that

he had stolen somewhere on the property, only to be retrieved later.

The problem is the outlaw was killed before he was able to get

the money.

So the rumor was that somewhere on that property was a

large sum of money.

But years had gone by, and now a property owner became obsessed

with that story and the idea that a fortune was buried somewhere

on his property.

So he spent pretty much the rest of his life trying to find that

treasure.

All over the property, he began to dig hole after hole.

He looked in every stump.

He looked in every knothole.

He turned over every rock.

But he never found that buried money.

Eventually, this man died empty, disappointed, Pretty much

a wasted life, because he had looked continually for that buried

treasure.

But when settling this man's affairs, this man's son was clearing

the house of his father, who had been looking for this treasure

for years.

And as he was up in the attic, he found an old Bible.

And the Bible was discovered.

And it had been there apparently, years before even this

man's father had bought the property.

It was left by some prior owners.

And within the pages of that Bible, there was a map that led to

that buried money.

Philippians chapter number four.

We're going to read a portion of Scripture.

Notice with me verse number eight.

The Bible there says, finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest.

Whatsoever things are just, Whatsoever things are pure, Whatsoever

things are lovely, Whatsoever things are of good report.

If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these

things.

Those things which ye have both 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 hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful,

but ye lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in respect of want.

For I have learned in whatsoever state, I am therewith

to be content.

Now, let me stop right there.

And that's not talking about Texas.

Tennessee.

It might be talking about Alabama.

Not sure.

Whatsoever state I am.

That's not what he's talking about.

There.

We'll return to that.

But that thought just came to my mind as I was reading it.

Amen.

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 strength strengtheneth

me notwithstanding.

Ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction.

Know ye Philippians.

Now?

Ye Philippians, know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when

I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning

giving and receiving, but ye only.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound

to youo account.

But I have all and abound.

Notice this next phrase.

I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were

sent from you.

An odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing

to God.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches.

In glory by Christ Jesus.

Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Let's pray together.

I want to draw your attention this morning to verse number 11.

And I want you to notice what it says.

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

state I am.

Watch these next words.

Therewith to be content.

As I have been in the ministry for several years now.

You know, it's really kind of odd because we used to be the preacher

boys and we've blinked.

And now, not that I'm old, but I'm not far from it.

But through the years, one thing that I have seen in people

is a lack of contentment.

A lack of contentment in the day in which we're living.

Especially with social media and the fast paced life that we're

living, it seems like people just can't seem to be content.

And I want to preach a thought this morning very simply.

Learning contentment, Learning contentment.

Let's pray together and we'll dig into this and see what the Lord

has for us this morning.

Lord, we do love you and we thank you so much for the opportunity

that's been ours to be in your house this morning, Lord.

For the Sunday school hour, Lord, for Mother's Day.

What a special day that is, Lord.

For the opportunity to sing praises to your name and to fellowship

with the people of God.

What a blessing it's been already, Lord, as we look into the

word of God, I pray that you would just bless this time together.

Lord, I pray that we would have open eyes to behold wondrous

things out of thy law this morning.

I pray Lord, we'd have open ears to hear what thus saith the

Lord.

But Lord especially give us open hearts that we might receive

your word upon good ground this morning.

Lord, I pray you'd give us clarity of thought as we preach the

message that you've impressed upon our hearts.

And Lord, I pray that your word would do the work that only

it can do.

This morning we're going to thank you in advance for what you

do in Jesus name.

Amen.

In our text this morning, it's a familiar passage of scripture and

Paul is writing to the church at Philippi.

And as we I think are familiar with this fact, it's a people that

Paul had a great affection for.

He had a love for this people.

Paul is writing this and while he's writing this we know that he's

in bonds and probably not in the best circumstance of life yet

he writes this letter to this people that he loves and it is a

letter of encouragement.

He's not bemoaning his circumstances, he's not whining about

his situation, but he's encouraging the people that he has

a great affection for.

And even in that probably is some things that we should glean.

Amen.

But Paul is writing this.

And in the text that we read, Paul just kind of makes a couple

of statements that remind us that Paul kind of experienced the

best in life and the worst in life.

Paul had some good times.

Notice verse number 12.

He said, I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound.

He says, I know I've been full and I've been hungry.

In other words, I've been on the top of the mountain.

I've been where God is blessing and the sun is shining and

the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing and the kids

are behaving and the grandkids are the grandkids.

Amen.

I've been on the mountain when everything was going well.

But I've also.

You know what?

I've also been in some dark valleys.

I've been in some situations that.

That have been difficult.

And I believe this morning we can all identify with that.

Amen.

There are the blessings of God, and we praise the Lord for that.

But there are times when God brings us through the valley and

the storms.

And by the way, that's a blessing as well.

We just don't see it as such at the time.

Amen.

But we find in the book of Genesis, it's referred to as blessings

of the deep that lieth under those blessings in disguise, if you

will.

And so all of it, in fact, is blessing.

But.

But we do go sometimes through some difficult times.

And Paul makes a statement in verse number 11 that I want to draw

your attention to about contentment.

You know, he's basically saying, whatsoever state I am in,

again, not Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, but whatever circumstance

or whatever situation I find myself in, I have learned something.

Whatever it is that I'm going through, I have learned in that.

That state, in that situation, in that circumstance, to be content.

To be content.

Notice verse 11.

He says, in whatsoever state, I am therewith to be content.

He's making the point that contentment.

Watch.

This is not based on our circumstance or our situation, yet

sometimes that's kind of what we do.

He I want you to notice something important here.

I want you to notice, you know, we can learn a lot, sometimes

not only by what is said, but what is not said.

And I want you to notice what Paul does not say in verse number

11.

Paul does not say, in whatsoever state I am, I have found

contentment.

He says, I have learned contentment.

Now, in the story that we related to you in the introduction,

there was a man who spent his life futilely trying to find a rumored

buried treasure.

He tried.

He dug hole after hole.

He looked all over the property.

He never found it.

And can I tell you, this morning, there are people all over

the world.

There are people all over our nation.

There are people in our churches.

And likely, if this is a church, like many other churches

throughout the nation, it is filled with people who are trying

their best to find contentment, trying to find contentment.

In our world today, people are digging hole after hole trying to

find contentment.

Boy, if I just had a little bit more money, I'd be content.

If I had this material item or this new truck or this new.

I think just trying to find contentment in material things.

They're trying to find contentment in a new job, trying

to find contentment in a new home, trying to find contentment

in drugs or alcohol, trying to find contentment in a new church,

a new spouse, or a new body.

And we could go on and on.

And if I could just get this, then I would be content.

But, folks, can I remind you that Paul here doesn't say that we

find contentment, but rather contentment is learned.

We must learn to be content.

Now, let me.

Let me do a little housekeeping real quickly.

Contentment is not the same thing as complacent.

You know, a lot of times we try to kind of group the two together.

Complacency, not good.

We always want to strive for growth.

Amen.

We don't want to kind of just settle for good enough.

Amen.

We don't want to be complacent, but we should be content.

Now, what does contentment mean?

Contentment is very simply this.

It means satisfied, quiet, at ease of mind, content.

You see, contentment is not something we find.

It's something that we must learn.

It's a process.

It's part of part of our spiritual growth, by the way.

Now, how do we learn to be content if we're not.

If it's not found, then how do we learn to be content?

Well, let's notice a couple of things in.

In this portion of Scripture, how I believe Paul learned to be

content.

And I think we can glean some of these things as well.

Go back to chapter number three.

Just some simple thoughts here this morning on how we can learn

to be content.

Contentment is something that we ought to have in our life.

And again, many times we're not learning contentment.

We're trying to find it in things or circumstances or position

or possessions and those kind of things.

But I want you to notice how Paul learned to be content.

Notice chapter number three, the last two verses.

Paul's writing the Church of Philippi, and he says this for our

conversation.

Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the

Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now watch verse 21.

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like

unto his glorious body according to the working whereby

he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

How can we learn to be content?

Number one?

We can learn to be content when we Realize that we're just strangers

and sojourners in this world.

Let me just put it like the song says it.

This world is not my home.

I'm just traveling through.

Amen.

Listen, if you're.

If you're living a life to where you're driving your tent stakes

down in this life and in this world, and if in this life only you

have hope, you're going to be discontented.

Why?

Because this world will not satisfy.

How do we learn to be content?

Realize we're not home yet.

Amen.

Listen.

Many are trying to find contentment in this life.

But when we began to realize that this is not all there is, somebody

said this, and I liked it, so I'm going to say it, too.

Amen.

If you're here this morning and you're lost, this is as good

as it's ever going to get.

But if you're here this morning and you're a child of God,

if you've trusted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, this is

as bad as it's ever going to get.

Amen.

We've got a hope in heaven that's a blessed hope.

Amen.

And we've got something to look forward to.

So watch this.

One of these days.

I like this one.

One of these days, this flesh is going to put on incorruption.

Amen.

This mortal's going to put on immortality.

This.

This corruptible is going to put on incorruption.

Amen.

Listen, we're going to be changed.

Amen.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

Amen.

Listen, we've got something to look forward to.

Look over real quickly, if you will, just a few pages.

Hold your place right there.

But look at Colossians, chapter number three.

Colossians, chapter number three.

Notice with me verse number one.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are

above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also

appear with him in glory.

You want to know how to learn to be content?

Set your affection on things above.

Many are trying to find that contentment.

But when we lift our heads and we get a view of heaven this morning

and we realize that what God has for us and what we have to look

forward to, it'll help us to be able to cope or to put up with

what we may be going through in this life.

If we Realize, you know what?

This is temporal.

This is temporal.

You see, in a sense, this morning, realizing that we'll never

find contentment in this world will produce a contentment as we

look forward to what coming.

Realizing this is temporary will help us to be content.

You know, there's been times when we go through difficult situations,

but maybe, maybe we know that it's.

Maybe we've got to go to the dentist.

What a blessing.

And it's a valley.

It's a storm.

If you're a dentist here this morning.

I'm sorry, but it's not fun.

But it's temporal.

It'll be over soon.

Not soon enough, but it'll be over soon.

You know, we can learn to be content in whatsoever state or circumstance

or situation we find ourself in when we realize it's temporary

and we have something to look forward to.

Amen.

Thank God for the hope of heaven.

Number two, how did Paul learn to be content?

Notice with me back in chapter number four.

Look at verse number four.

Rejoice in the Lord.

What's that next word?

Alway?

And again I say rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men.

The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing but in everything.

By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests

be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, that kind of speaks of contentment, which

passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things

are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report.

If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these

things.

Secondly, this morning, how did Paul learn to be content?

Well, not only did he realize he was a stranger and a sojourner

in this life, but he saw things from the right perspective.

He saw things from the right perspective.

Let me say it this way, where we focus our attention on.

And what we focus our attention on will affect our sense

of contentment.

Paul was content because he saw things from the right perspective.

And just kind of real quickly, the right perspective comes number

one, from praise in verse number four, from prayer in verse

number six, and from pondering the right things there in verse number

eight.

You know, we tend most people, not all, but we tend sometimes to

look at the negative.

We tend sometimes to focus on the negative.

What we don't have instead of what God's blessed us with, what

we.

What we can't do.

Or, you know, in a church setting, sometimes we'll start looking

around and kind of get discontented because of who's not

here.

And we miss the blessing of who is.

We sometimes focus on the negative.

We have 10 grandchildren.

I know I don't look that old.

Number 11 is on the way.

The oldest one.

Y' all think Christmas is fun.

Y' all think vacation time is fun.

The oldest One of almost 11 grandchildren is 12 years old.

Our oldest grandson's name is Noah.

Noah.

Noah has an interesting personality.

He's pretty quiet, and he is a.

Though he's quiet, he's generally a positive outlook guy.

You know, if he's playing sports and he's losing by 60 points,

he still thinks he's coming back.

Noah is our oldest.

When he was.

He's 12 now, but he was probably about 9 years old.

And Noah was my high school football game buddy.

Noah lived for Central High School of Phoenix City, Alabama,

football games.

And Noah and Papa went to Phoenix City, Central of Phoenix

City football games.

He looked forward to it.

One Friday, he was at the house, and he was getting ready.

Him and Papa was going to the football game.

Well, his younger siblings were at the house there as well,

but me and him was going to go to the game, and they were outside

playing for.

It's Friday afternoon.

You know, anticipation of the.

Of the ball game is wearing.

Wearing him out.

And.

And so they're outside playing.

He comes in.

I said, noah, let's go.

Let's get ready to go to the game.

So we're getting ready to go to the game, and I walk out, and

Noah is behind me, and I.

And I look down, and on our driveway, there was, y' all know,

that sidewalk chalk.

You know, the kids had been out there, and they're drawing pictures

on the sidewalk and everything.

And I thought, but that's cute.

They had a lot of fun doing that, I'm sure.

And as me and Noah's walking toward the truck, I look at my black

Toyota Tundra, and there's sidewalk chalk all over it.

And I papa, Papa, well, let's not tell on ourself.

Amen.

I'm preaching.

I can tell the story.

I want to, like, I want to tell it.

Papa got upset, and I'm like, who in the world rode on my truck?

And Noah's countenance kind of started sinking.

Noah, I said, I don't even think we ought to be able to go.

I don't even think we're going to the ball game.

And he like, huh?

I mean, this is ridiculous, Noah.

I mean, what in the world are you doing?

I.

We shouldn't even go.

Of course I knew we was going to the ball game because papa wanted

to go.

But so I walk over to the little utility thing, I get our stadium

seats out and I, I tell you what, I, I just don't even know if

I ought to be bringing you to the ball game, Noah.

And he gets in the back seat and I get in the, I put it in reverse

and I'm backing out and we're pulling down the street a little

bit.

It was just, it was probably about a three minute drive to the

stadium from our house.

And I'm driving and I'm steady, just wearing him out.

This is ridiculous.

I think I'm just going to turn around and go back home.

It got quiet for a few minutes and Noah said, papa, can we just

forget about that for a little while and just concentrate on how

much fun we're going to have at the football game.

He's looking at this whole sidewalk chalk thing from a different

perspective.

Amen.

You know what?

If we would learn, if we would learn to see things from a different

perspective instead of always looking for fault in people, instead

of looking at what we can complain about what we don't have,

what we can't do.

What's wrong with this and what's wrong with that?

Well, I tell you what, you know that church down there, it's

alright, but they never have the temperature right in there.

I'm going to go ahead and clue y' all in.

This is from many years experience in the ministry.

You can never get the temperature right in a church.

Hey, if it's too cold in here, bring you, bring you a coat or something.

Amen.

If it's too hot, fan and just fan for Jesus.

And you know what?

One of these days we're going to be going home anyway.

Amen.

Hey, watch this.

Paul saw things from the right perspective.

If we could begin to see people and family and ministry and

church and our jobs and our circumstances and instead of focusing

on the negative, begin to focus on the blessing.

Hey, God has blessed us.

But our problem is we like to see that little bitty speck that

just wears us out.

And we miss all the good.

You know what I was about to miss?

A good, A good time spent with my grandson at a high school football

game and concession stand food and all that goes with it because

of sidewalk chalk on my truck that's going to rinse off when it

rains anyway.

And it's a 2004 truck.

I mean, for Pete's sake.

Still running.

I still drive it 340,000 miles later.

Amen.

Got a den or two in it.

But you know what?

Let's see things from the right perspective.

Contentment.

We don't find contentment.

We learn contentment.

I'm going to give you.

I'm going to be a blessing to you this morning.

I've come to be a blessing.

I'm going to give you the outline and some time I want you

to notice real quickly.

How do we learn contentment?

We learn contentment.

We're in chapter number four.

When we realize that we're strangers in this world.

When we see things from the right perspective, notice with me

verse number 12 and 13.

I know both how to be abased.

I know how to abound everywhere in all things.

I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound

and to suffer.

Need watch verse 13.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

You know, sometimes we take verses and we pull them.

You know, you've seen Philippians 4:13 on people's eye

Philippians 4:13

black.

And you know, I can do all things through Christ.

I can play, play football and, you know, lift weights and all, and

that's okay.

But you know what?

In the context here, you know what he's talking about.

He's talking about learning contentment.

Here's the point.

The only way we can learn contentment is with his help.

He said, I know both how to abound, be abased, and to abound.

I'm known to be full and hungry.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

You see, we are not naturally content, so we must rely on him and

his strength to help us learn contentment.

It doesn't come naturally for us.

Contentment, by the way, is not complacency.

It isn't being indifferent to your circumstances that's complacency.

It doesn't mean you give up on trying to to make things better.

That's complacency.

It isn't just throwing up your hands and saying, well, it is what

it is.

That's not contentment, that's complacency.

But what contentment is, is simply this.

It means you're not controlled by your circumstances.

You're not controlled.

Give you real quickly verse 18 and 19, just giving you the outline.

I have all and abound, I am full, having received of Epaphroditus

the things which were sent from you.

An odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing

to God, but my God shall supply.

And we know this is speaking to a missions giving Church.

He says, my God shall supply all your need.

Let me give you another one.

Contentment comes when we know that his supply all that we need

when we know his supply is all we need.

Instead of he's supplying us.

And we want more.

We want more and we want more.

You know what?

What he supplies us with is all we need.

And we can learn to be content when we keep Christ supreme in our

life.

Verse number 20.

Now, unto God and our Father be glory.

Let me give it to you real quickly.

It's just simply this.

When we learn that our life is for his glory, it takes away discontentment.

Because it's not all about me.

It's all about Him.

And by the way, that begins with our salvation.

We're never going to be content if we've never trusted Jesus

Christ as our personal Savior.

You're going to try to find contentment in this, this, this,

this and this.

You'll never learn to be content until you know that you are

a child of God on your way to heaven until you've trusted Him.

If you're here this morning, you've never trusted Jesus Christ

as your personal savior.

Let me encourage you this morning.

Don't wait till it's too late.

Get that settled today.

We're all sinners in need of a Savior.

Amen.

Born sinners.

And Jesus Christ came and he put on flesh.

And he went to the cross of Calvary and He shed his blood.

Why?

Because he knew that you needed a Savior.

You needed to be saved.

And the only thing that satisfied the righteous demand of

a holy God was the blood of Jesus Christ.

If you've never trusted Christ as your personal savior, get it settled

today.

We'll never find contentment if we don't know for sure we're saved.

And by the way, for the child of God walking in his will, contentment

is not something we find.

It's something that is learned.

The man in our story took the Bible out of the attic and he dusted

it off and he found a map.

He took the map and he walked the property.

And sure enough, there it was.

He found the hidden money that had been buried there so long ago.

Where did he find it?

He found it in the word small town.

And there was some interest in the story.

And so the news crew came out and interviewed him.

And the question was asked.

Your father owned this property for many years.

And he searched and he searched and he searched and he never

found the buried treasure.

How did you.

He said, the difference between my father and myself is this.

He tried to find the buried treasure.

But I learned where it was.

I learned where it was.

People are trying to find contentment and they're not satisfied.

We learn to be content when we realize this world's not our home.

When we see things from a different perspective.

When we rely upon his strength.

When we know that his supply is all that we need.

When we know for sure that we're saved and when he is supreme

in our life we will learn to be content.