The Joy of Contentment

Welcome to this week's message from the Church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

I want you to turn with me in your Bibles to the last chapter of Philippians.

I hope you have a worship guide.

If you don't, don't.

If you don't, if you don't, I would like for you to raise your hand so you can have one, because on the back of the worship guide is our outline, and I want you to follow along with me as we look into the last chapter, last section of the book of Philippians.

And what an awesome, awesome truth in this book that we've seen.

The joy of the Lord is our strength.

And the whole book is titled, The Joy of the Lord.

The joy of the Lord.

And you know I've learned when the true joy of the Lord is in our hearts and in our lives, I've learned that it doesn't matter what you're going through, what you're facing, that God's joy is still there.

Amen?

It's still there.

Because when the joy of the Lord's not there, when that flag flown high from the heart, which is the flag of joy, is not there, then something's wrong.

And most of the time, most of the time, it's because sin is in our life.

Hello.

Amen.

I know that's a little tough, but that's the truth.

Sin is in our life.

You say, yeah, but I'm not, I don't do those outward sins, I'm not doing any of that.

I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do all that stuff.

I don't do this, I don't do that, I don't, I don't overeat like me.

But uh but but hey, what about disbelief?

Disbelief.

That's just as bad.

He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him is sin, right?

So when we're not believing, it's just as bad.

Or we're not trusting God, it's just as bad.

So Paul ends this tremendous exhortation in verses 10 through 19, actually verses 10 through 23, uh because the last three, four verses is God is to be praised as God is our Father, and believers are to greet every saint and to be loving each other, upholding each other, saluting each other, bearing each other's burdens.

And all that is possible because we've learned how not to worry, and we've learned how not to be uncontented.

Well, this is good.

Let me go ahead and say I I repented and I still repent about the worry and especially about contentment.

Because most of us here this morning are not content.

I'm not cont I'm not content a lot of times.

You know, I'm not content with where we are as a church.

I'd like for us to be running a lot more.

Uh I I'm not content.

I that's just, I am so go-oriented, I I'm I just get all tied up.

So the last two to three weeks, your preacher has been taken to the woodshed by an awesome God.

And so what I've got to learn to do is just to be content with who I am, where we are, and let God, hey, do whatever he wants to do, how he wants to do it, when he wants to do it, and we just be faithful to God.

Amen.

Now, don't get me wrong, we've had phenomenal growth.

Don't get me wrong.

In fact, it's some of the fastest growth of a church I've seen in a long time.

But uh I'm still not content.

And there's a fine line between being content so that you then become lazy, then being content, and that you are happy and content in service for God.

Hello?

There really is, folks.

Really is.

So, with that said, we're gonna try to understand contentment this morning.

This probably could be one of the most important messages you've ever heard.

Not because I preach it, but because of the truth that you're gonna hear today.

The joy of contentment.

The Bible has much to say about contentment.

For example, let's look at the word contentment, and let's begin in verse 10.

But I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me has flourished.

The word there means revived.

Again, wherein you were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in respect to want, for I have learned.

In whatsoever state I am therewith to be what?

Content.

Say it with me.

What?

Content.

Content.

Now the Greek word for contentment is altarques.

Altarques is the way you pronounce it.

I gave you the Greek word in your outline.

Altarques.

And it literally means to be self-sufficient.

Now, it doesn't mean in this context to be self-sufficient in yourself, but it means to be in the context of the word to be self-sufficient in Christ.

Can I get an amen?

And let me prove that in a minute.

It means to be self-sufficient, it means to be satisfied, and it means to, I love this, not to be not dependent on others.

Now, again, it's in the spiritual sense.

In other words, we're not dependent on ourselves or other people for, hey, our contentment, we are dependent only in Christ for that ultimate contentment.

Does that make sense?

Say amen.

You with me?

So that's what the word literally means.

In fact, it really means another synonym to be happy.

And let me say something.

You can never be really happy unless you're really content.

That's good.

Let me repeat that.

You can never be really happy unless you are really content.

Can I get an amen?

That's very important.

So if you're not happy this morning, I can tell you why.

It's because you're not content.

You're not content with yourself.

You're not content with others.

You're not content with your job.

You're not content with your work.

You're not content with your family.

You're not content with, I could just go on and go down the list.

You're not content with life.

Why is that?

Well, we're gonna see.

But let me show you this.

2 Corinthians 3, 5, Paul said to the church at Corinth, and the church of Corinth was Paul, Paul constantly was having to rebuke the church of Corinth.

They were just spiritual babies.

They were carnal.

So be careful when you're going through 1 to 2 Corinthians that you don't use some of their principles that relate to the church and their walk with God as some of your principles, because they didn't hardly do anything right.

Hello.

So they were just constantly being attacked.

Uh, and I'm gonna show you which I think one of the thorns of the flesh of uh Paul, he had a thorn in the flesh.

A lot of people think that it was his eyesight, a lot of people think he had some kind of disease that he couldn't get rid of.

But uh after new research of my own, I think, and and several other older theologians brought this ideology up and this idea, and I think it fits because of this context of the scripture.

He Paul really thought the, he felt that the thorn of the flesh was these false teachers and these Judaizers, those that were attacking the church, being critical of the church, trying to tear the church down because he had such a hunger for the church.

And he says, Oh Lord, I wish you'd move this thorn.

Quit letting Satan attack my church.

And he said, No, I can't do that, but here's what I can do: I can give you my grace that is sufficient in all things.

Wow, that's good.

So, with that said, we're not sufficient in ourselves, but our sufficiency is in our.

Now, look at one of my favorite verses, 2 Corinthians 9.8.

Still dealing with the word contentment, still dealing with that word outrace.

Notice what he says.

And God is able, say that with me.

God is able to make all grace, not some grace, not a little portion of grace, but all grace.

All that God is.

Can I get an amen?

All that he is.

Man, that's good.

All grace abound toward you that ye always having, watch, all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work.

Watch.

All grace, all sufficiency, all things.

Can I get an amen?

That encompasses everything, church.

Everything.

Everything that you and I go through, his grace is sufficient.

His grace is always there for us to enter into.

So the Bible has a lot to say about contentment.

In fact, in Luke 3.14, we see that John the Baptist said to some soldiers who asked them, How can I know genuine repentance?

And here's what he said: he literally said, You first of all got to be content with your wages.

You got to be content with who you are and where you are, realizing that you need Jesus.

That your contentment can only come through Jesus.

No other way.

I am the way, the truth, the life.

No man cometh unto the Father except by me.

Contentment can come no other way but through Christ.

No other way.

And so he says, hey, you've got to learn to be content.

We've got to learn, and I thought to myself, even though here's a good principle here, we've got to learn to be content with where we are with our wages and our life, our jobs.

We've got to be content.

Yeah, but no, there are no butts.

If there's a but, you're not content.

Hello.

Amen?

There's no such thing as billy goat Christians, butting all the time.

Hello.

Amen.

And then, hey, Paul wrote, 1 Timothy 6.8, listen to what Paul said.

If we have food, now you weren't out excused without food because I'm going to feed you.

Can I get an amen?

So don't even go there.

But he says, having food and clothing, let us be content.

You got clothes on your back, you got shoes on your feet.

Amen.

And you got food that you're about to eat.

Amen.

Be content.

There's a lot of people that don't have food and clothing, that die every day in these third world countries.

We are blessed in America.

We are blessed in America.

And then he goes on.

The writer echoes, hey, the writer of Hebrews, who I think may have been Paul, echoes this.

Look at what he says in Hebrews 13, 5.

Make sure that your character, your person is free from covetousness.

That means free from money and the wants of the world.

In other words, you've got to be free from trying to keep up with the Joneses, because about the time you get where they are, they passed you again.

Hello.

They refinanced, David said.

That's good.

Amen.

He says, hey, let your behavior be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have.

For he has said, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee.

He's with you.

He knows what you need when you need it, how you need it.

And if you'll get out of the way and start being content and quit trying to run your own life and allow the Holy Spirit and Christ to run his life through you, you'll be content.

Amen.

So we see that, but it doesn't stop there.

Paul was, hey, even uh as he addressed the church at Corinth, listen to what he said in 2 Corinthians 12.10.

Well, he said, I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ's sake.

Wow.

He even said, I'm content with all the heartaches and the hardships that I have.

Now, when's the last time we've been content for our hardships?

Guilty?

My first thing is, Lord, I don't need this.

When growing gets tough, what do you say?

Lord, help me.

And what does that mean?

Get me out of this situation.

Hello, is that not true?

Come on now, we're going to be honest this morning.

Is that not true?

When we cry out to the Lord, we say, Lord, deliver us.

What if the Lord says, No, I don't need to deliver you, Paul?

No, I'm not going to take that thorn out of your flesh, Paul.

But my grace is sufficient in all things.

Wow.

But that's not what I want.

I know, because you're not content.

You're not content.

When you're content, you want what he wants.

Hello, you with me?

So it's very important you understand that.

And then listen to what he said in 1 Timothy 6.6.

And boy, this is good.

He says, the reason, even in this distress and these trying times, there's a reason.

And don't ask God to deliver you out of all this distress and sometimes this hardships, these problems, these temptations and all, because he's got a purpose.

And he says, but godliness with contentment's great gain.

He says, when you learn to be content in the hard times, it is great gain for you.

Did you hello?

When you learn, I'm going to say that again, to be content in the hard times and the hardships, it is great gain for you.

Notice two things.

Godly, you got to be godly.

Hey, and you got to be content during the hardships and the hard times.

Because sometimes, listen, the hardships and the hard times may be coming to you because he's chastening us because we're not godly.

Hello.

Some of the hardships we bring on ourselves.

Because we disobey.

Hello.

Hello, you with me?

We kept our grandsons a few days.

Pardon?

Yeah.

My grand my own my grandchildren is what I meant.

Well, I do have two grandsons.

I have okay.

And I have a little granddaughter.

Brooklyn.

But mama, I was taking the shower and I come out, and all I heard from Susan is, honey, where's the belt?

I thought to myself, have I done anything?

Because I wear a pretty thick big belt.

My Jesus awesome belt's pretty thick.

She said, Where's the belt?

She goes over there and I saw her draw it like a sword.

I said, Oh my.

Somebody's in trouble.

Then I thought to myself, man, she's gonna hit those kids with that big old belt.

I thought to myself, but then she went over there and she did this.

Now both of them did this.

You'd have thought you'd killed them.

I sat there and started laughing, but I laughed behind the wall where they wouldn't see me.

I said, if oh my granddaddy and my daddy, when they went, they didn't go pfft, they went woom! I came up, oh, oh.

But then they went straight to sleep.

It's called discipline.

When you and I get out of the ways of God and we're children of God, he will chasten the ones that he loves.

Hebrews 11.

Amen.

So it's important you understand that part.

But beneath all this, Paul, expression of thanks to the Philippians is the picture of man utterly in contentment regardless of the situation.

He was in jail.

Hello.

He was in jail.

Little small room.

Handcuffed to a prisoner 24-7.

I meant to a soldier 24-7.

How would you like to be handcuffed to a soldier 24-7 for two years?

That is unreal.

He couldn't go anywhere without the soldier.

He's right there the whole time.

He could have a few guests.

He had a very little room that he stayed in, and he had very meager food.

He wasn't going to be able to get in line after the service and eat like you and I are going to eat.

But you know what he said?

I rejoice in the Lord always.

Again I rejoice.

Now that's contentment, folks.

That's contentment.

That is contentment.

Paul knew how to rejoice in every circumstance and to be free from anxiety and worry.

He did because his heart was guarded with the peace of God and the God of peace.

He knew that.

God was all in him.

His example is and I thought as I was putting it, working on this, his example is so relevant for today because we live in a country, America.

We are, hey, are greedy and always needy.

The fall of this country almost took place because of greed and and not need, but wants.

We need contentment.

Amen.

And so Paul is addressing this, should I say this such great need of contentment at the church of Philip Life?

Five things I want you to say this morning.

Boy, this is so good.

Number one, a contented person is confident in God's presence.

I mean, excuse me, confident in God's providence.

Look at verse 10.

He says, But I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived or flourished, as King James says, but other translations, yours if you don't have the King James, the New King James, revived your concern for me.

Indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

Ten years had passed.

And we see that they had, the church had consistently been, hey, concerned about Paul, but they lacked opportunity.

Now, we don't understand, and I read everything I could to try to figure out what they meant lacked opportunity.

Several things could come to mind that, you know, uh we know, and you're gonna see that in a few verses in Corinthians, that the church at Philippi was not a very rich church.

It was not a very financially uh wealthy church at all.

In fact, what you'll see in Corinthians, they said that they gave of themselves first and then out of their poverty.

That's what they did.

But they were consistent givers even though they didn't have a whole lot.

That's a tremendous, that's a tremendous example for many of us that say, Well, I just don't have enough to give anything.

I wished I had more, I could give more.

No, you start giving and you get more.

That's the way it works.

You're gonna see that.

This was a giving church, but it was not a financially, hey, wealthy church.

It was they gave out of their poverty.

They gave what they have.

Can I say something?

God just wants you to give out of what you have, not what you want to give.

Hello, come on, help me here, church.

That's what he wants.

And it's so important.

So, in fact, 2 Corinthians 8, do I have those verses 1 and 2?

Watch this.

No, that's 8.12.

2 Corinthians 8.12.

If there be first a will of mine, it is accepted according to the man hath and not according to that he hath not.

That's it.

Good.

Thank you.

Thank you, Jason.

What does that say?

Hey, God's not interested in your giving on what you don't have or what you want to give.

God's interested in what you have that you give on that.

Does that make sense?

And hey, not according to that he hath not.

All he's asking is what I've blessed you with.

Hey, give back to me for your, hey, for my thankfulness for helping and surviving and giving you clothes, giving you food, giving you things that you.

Have.

It may not be the wants, but it definitely will be the necessities.

Can I get an amen?

Always, or he'd be a liar.

So that's what we see.

And then Paul goes on, though.

He said, but now Epaphroditus has arrived, Philippians 4.18 in this passage with a great gift.

And Paul says, Look, I rejoice in the Lord greatly.

He did not so, hey, he didn't rejoice because of the gift.

Okay?

Now, the gift meant a need, but that's not what he was rejoicing over.

He wasn't rejoicing, hey, over the gift of the need, whether it was some financials, clothes, whatever they had sent.

I think it was a uh uh several things.

I think it was clothes, money, could have been some fruit, I don't know, but I I do know it was a lot of stuff that Epaphroditus had brought in.

So he's excited about, hey, hey, he's not excited about the gift as much as he's excited about the giver.

He is so excited about them giving because he knows that their spirituality, their, hey, their contentment is based on their giving.

Woo! Uh-oh.

Uh-oh, somebody missed it.

That their contentment is based on their giving.

They are content to the point.

They're so blessed, they're so content, they want to be a blessing to somebody else, regardless of what they have.

Now, that's good, preacher.

That's Christianity.

Amen.

Isn't that?

And that's what God tells us.

It is more blessed to give, and you're going to see that in a minute.

But he says, I love this.

He says that you've been revived.

Now, that word flourish, but it means revived.

Let me tell you what it is.

The Greek word there is anethalo.

And here's what it means: a plant flourishing again.

Have you ever seen how plants are, now I'm fixing to get hulter culture, it's not my thing.

But how roses, they're, you know, you buy them and they haven't bloomed yet, and you take them home to your wife and you put them in a vase, and the next day or day after, they just, whoo! They're gorgeous.

I mean, that little stem and that red-looking flower becomes this beautiful rose.

Beautiful.

Beautiful.

That's what this word means.

That when you and I are giving and helping people in our contentment, we're giving because we've been blessed and we want to give to show that blessedness.

We are like a rose that is budding.

It just and you become a sweet fragrance.

You ever smell a rose?

Honeysuckles.

When I'm riding my motorcycle, I can just smell them.

That aroma.

It's so sweet and so beautiful.

And that's exactly what Paul's saying.

Hey, and I wrote this in my little writing right here.

Giving is evidence of divine life.

Giving is evidence of divine life.

When you are alive and the Holy Spirit is controlling your life and you are being blessed, you are a giver.

You can't wait to be a blessing, a sweet aroma to somebody, to be a self-sacrifice to somebody so that it's pleasing to God.

That's what he's telling the Philippians.

That's what he's writing to the Philippians.

That's what he's telling the church.

You know, I so desire this for us.

Fruit is the product of evidence of life, divine growth and life.

Jesus said, You shall know them by the fruits that they bear.

But Paul's gracious attitude also, hey, reflects his patient confidence.

Listen to this in God's sovereign providence.

Can I say something?

God loves you.

God knows who you are.

He created you.

And you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous are his works.

Don't you ever let anybody think that you're not special and that you're not important.

And because of that, God's providence, God's sovereign providence will take care of you if you will be obedient to him.

Just like those little grandchildren.

When they obey, we take care of them.

We take care of them anyway.

But when they're out of line, we discipline to bring them back in line.

Why?

Because we know what's best for them.

Hello?

And same way with an awesome God.

When we get out of line, he chastens us to bring us back because he knows what's best for us.

Isn't that good?

And so Paul is expressing all this.

There was no panic on his part.

There was, hey, there was no attempt for him to manipulate the people.

Boy, I've seen preachers do that and us do that.

There was no taking matters into his own hands.

That's where I'm guilty.

We can do it.

Bless God, we can do it.

God, if we need you, we'll holler.

No, no, no.

Before you start anything, Lord, what would you have me to do?

What would you have us do?

And I can honestly say, we are really trying to do that the best we know how right here.

Not jump ahead.

Because what I got out of the seven councilmen, I think all but one or two are all doers.

How would you like to sit on a board?

We got some mercy, guys.

But I mean, it's like, you know, pedals of the metal.

So we've got to say, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

It's okay to have the pedals of the metal, but where are we going?

I don't care.

We're just going.

Don't stand still.

I hate to stand still.

I went an hour, well, I went all the way around the mountain.

It ended up being a beautiful drive, so I wouldn't have to sit in traffic for two and a half hours just yesterday because there was a big car show in Pigeon Board where we were for a tournament.

And I made up my mind.

I went to the visitor center while they were at the ball game.

I said, I do not want to sit in traffic for two and a half hours.

If I have to climb over this mountain, how's the best way to do it?

So he gave me a route, and sure enough, ended up being a gorgeous route.

Beautiful.

And I didn't have to stop.

And I didn't have to sit there and get in the flesh.

Yeah, I would have been in the flesh.

I would have been in the flesh.

So I know why I would have been in the flesh, so it's better for me to have to go way out of the way, but at least I'm moving.

Amen.

Progressing on.

Now I may have gone out of the way and burned two gas tanks, but that's okay.

I didn't stop.

So I do understand that impatientness, and I understand all of that.

But sometimes God says, now I said that to say this, be still.

I don't like that.

Be still.

And know that I'm God.

Psalms 46.

I'm sure glad though he didn't make me be still in that traffic yesterday.

I always remind him I can listen while I'm moving.

I do.

But he says sometimes, be still and know that I'm God.

Amen.

And that is in that quiet time.

It's so beautiful.

By the way, listen to what he said.

Why was Paul so content?

This is awesome.

Look at Ephesians 1.11.

This is going to blow your mind.

Because Paul said, God who works all things in agreement, now watch this, with his will.

Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will.

Another translation says, in agreement with his will.

In other words, if we allow God to rule and reign in our lives, everything we do will be in agreement with his will.

And watch, here it is.

When we are in agreement with his will, we have contentment.

Come on, give me an amen.

O me.

You with me?

When we don't, when we're not in agreement with his will, guess what we have?

Discontentment.

Frustration.

Discouragement.

Disunity.

Griping, complaining, backbiting.

And I could just go down the list.

That's what's produced in us when we're not content.

And you know why most of the time we're not content?

Because we want our way.

Oh me?

Oh me?

See, you can't be content when you want it your way.

You know why you can't be content?

Well, this is good.

When you want it your way?

You gotta have it my way.

Frank Sinatra, my way.

Oh yeah, he did it all right.

Hey, you know why?

Because it's not ever gonna be your way.

Hello! You're not gonna get everything you want all the time.

Ain't gonna happen.

Why?

Life.

People, remember those people?

Because everyone won't let you have it your way.

Well, they should.

Why should they?

Why shouldn't you give it, you know, give your way to them?

I don't wanna do that.

That's not what I it's not about I.

It's about him.

I know.

It's getting a little quiet, folks.

Amen.

Yeah.

Hey, why?

Because Romans 8, 28.

You know it.

Hey, in agreement with his will, calls.

Why do we want to be in agreement with his will?

Here's why.

We know all things work together for good to them who love God and to them who are called according to his purpose.

You gotta love him and you gotta be doing his will.

You gotta be in agreement with his will.

Then he says, everything's gonna be to your benefit.

Wow, that's good.

Boy, is that good.

So, Solomon acknowledged God's providential control.

Look at what he said in Proverbs 16, 9.

This is awesome.

I shared this with uh Candy the other night in our small group.

A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

Boy, that's good.

That's really good.

You can plan your way as long as you allow God to direct your steps.

Amen.

Make sure that when you're planning your way, God's directing the steps.

Can I get an amen?

Look at what he says in Proverbs 19, 21.

There are many devices in a man's heart.

Oh, yes.

Nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord that shall stand.

In other words, if we allow those other devices, the worldly wisdom, the humanistic thinking that we're so bombarded with in a public school system on television, if we allow those counsels to control us, we are headed for frustration and destruction.

That's why he says, let the peace of God what?

Guard your hearts.

Guard your hearts.

Look at what else he says in verse 23.

O Lord, I know that the way of man, this is Jeremiah 10, 23, O Lord, I know that the way of man, watch, is not in himself.

Whew, that's pretty straightforward, isn't it?

We can't, in our own flesh, yeah, we can direct our ways, but it's not the right way.

It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

He says, if man, if you control your life and you direct your steps, you're headed for destruction.

The providential care of God is so seen in Joseph.

You remember a few weeks ago when we told you about Joseph.

You remember what Joseph said in Genesis 50, 20 to his brothers?

You remember they had thrown him into slavery, sold him into slavery.

He had ended up in Egypt, ended up actually in prison for 13 years.

In prison, in prison, 13 years.

Then he interpreted the dreams of the baker and the butler.

He was brought before Pharaoh.

He interpreted Pharaoh's dreams and was made second in command to Egypt.

And guess what?

After interpreting the dream, and the dream was this, he says, we're going to have seven years of prosperity, and then we're going to have seven years of drought.

So, you know what the prince, I meant the uh emperor said, okay, Joseph, you're going to be in charge of preparing us for the seven years of drought.

And you know what he did?

He built whatever you call the silos or whatever you, I don't know what they called them back then, but they bit, they built places to store the wheat and the grain and all that.

And they still had enough, but he rationed it out and made sure everybody was okay and fed.

And then he saved, and then when the seven years of drought came, they were okay.

They survived.

And he also saved the Jews.

That was God's providential care of his people, even though it cost Joseph 13 years of prison.

Now, most of us would have been, we would have never made it.

Because what the first year in prison, we'd say, Oh God, I've served you.

Why am I in this place?

And after about the 10th year, you probably would have been thinking, Well, I'm just gonna kill myself.

No, he never did.

He just sat there and praised God, studied God, was with God, and he was content, content in prison for 13 years.

And you heard me, he went from the pit to the palace overnight because of his contentment.

You with me, church?

That's God's providential care.

Let's go to number two.

A contented person is satisfied with what he has.

A contented person is satisfied with what he has.

Not that I speak in respect to want, for I've learned.

That's a pretty powerful word.

Paul says, Hey, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I have found myself.

Paul was not discontented, even though of his circumstances.

True commitment comes only from God and enables believers to be satisfied and at ease in the midst of problems.

Contentment, true contentment, true satisfaction means that we're content even in the midst of our problems.

Woo! That's hard to do.

That's really hard to do.

The greatest example I had growing up was my grandmother.

Mama.

She was an emblem 13 years.

My granddaddy had to change her diapers 13 years.

She couldn't move.

Some kind of disease that de deteriored the nerve endings and all that.

And to this day we still don't know what it was.

We still don't know.

He'd have to take a lift and put it under and lift her up because she couldn't make it.

Almost 12, 13 years.

And I never thought about this hunting until I was studying jail for 13 years.

She lay there.

Never once did I hear him complain.

Never did I hear her complain.

I heard her every once in a while say, I don't understand.

Oh Jesus said, let me stay like this.

You know I do.

I understand.

She was my prayer warrior.

She was the one praying for me all the time.

That which God would use me one day, but God would protect me so that he could use me one day.

I believe that with all my heart.

I really did.

I believe today I'm where I am because of my grandmother's prayers and her love.

But they were both content.

One little bedroom.

I mean very poor.

Very poor.

But they were content.

They were content.

Because they knew God had a purpose.

But Paul knew that the chief end of man is not to have his needs met, but to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

How can we have that contentment?

It's not about our needs being met, it's about us glorifying him.

Can I get an amen?

Being obedient to him, honoring him, then our needs will automatically be met.

Automatically.

Paul knew that.

He said, if we have food and clothing, we should be content.

1 Timothy 6.8.

And the Lord directed those who proclaimed the gospel to.

And then Paul went on, and he's talking and he's reiterating to the church at Philippi.

And he even talks about all the times, the previous times that this church had helped him, and this church was the only one that helped him all the time.

And here's what he said: He said, a lot of times, and you need to see this.

I want you to see this in uh, yeah, bring up Acts 20, 34.

Watch this.

Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands, Paul says, my hands, he was a tent maker, have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me.

In other words, he says, I've worked to help others.

I've worked hard to help others.

And then look at 1 Thessalonians 2.9.

And he says, For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail for labor night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you.

We preached unto you the gospel of God.

And then look at verse uh 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians 3.8.

Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught, but wrought with labor and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you.

He says, Yes, you have given and you've helped us, but we worked hard.

And now here's a formula you gotta catch right now.

Don't ever miss this.

I believe this is the gospel truth because of what you just read.

If we work hard and we live right, God will meet every need we have.

Hello.

What's wrong today?

We're not working.

49% of America's not working.

God help us.

We need to be revived again.

Hard work, faithful living.

You know what?

I was brought up.

You work hard, Danny boy, you live right, God'll bless you.

I'm gonna say it again.

You work hard, you live right, God will bless you.

Anybody else raised that way?

Amen.

Amen.

It works.

It works.

When have you been in trouble?

When you didn't work hard, well, or didn't live right.

Maybe both, but you can still work hard and not live right.

Amen.

Well, guess what?

You're still going in the ditch.

Hello.

Or no, here's what happens when you work hard and you don't live right.

You wake up and you say, Where'd my money go?

Hello?

Where'd my money go?

Well, you spend it on foolish stuff.

I know what you're thinking.

This is supposed to be the joy book of the Bible.

I'll be glad when he gets out of this book.

Well, I'm trying to give you the real remedy for joy.

Amen.

This is why we see a lot of people that aren't, and by the way, most of the time it's the most wealthiest.

They're not happy.

They don't have joy.

Why?

They want more.

They want more needs.

They want bigger cards.

They want bigger and everything.

Gotta have more and more and more.

They're never content.

You know what I've learned in learning?

The more content I'm in them, and The more obedient I am, hey, the happier I am.

Hello.

And the older you get, you look back and you say, Why did I do that?

Anyone else like that?

And you know what you say?

That was dumb.

But at the time we thought we had all the answers, didn't we?

You know why?

Because we're doing it our way.

Hello.

Doing it our way.

Not God's way.

Young people, if you're listening to this, I'm saving you a lot of heartache.

If you'll do it God's way.

And don't be one, I was talking to a teenager lately.

And you know what?

Well, I guess I just need to learn the hard way.

I said, don't you say that.

You don't have to.

You don't have to.

Because the hard, yeah, they don't have a clue what the hard way is.

Okay, you want to learn?

All right, I'm gonna put you in jail 13 years.

You want to learn it that way?

Work hard.

Say this with me.

Work hard.

Live right, you'll be blessed.

Again, work hard, live right, you'll be blessed.

Number three.

A contented person is independent from circumstances.

Verse 12.

I know how to get a loan with humble means, and I also know how to live with prosperity.

In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of being filled, going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Man, that thing's so loaded.

I could just preach all week on that, but I'm not.

But he says, notice, he repeated himself.

I know how, and I also know how.

Twice, reveals that he had learned.

Now, let me tell you what that means.

By experience.

He's learned by experience.

Folks, let me, young people, listen to me.

Younger adults, listen to me.

Middle age, am I middle age?

Is 60, middle-age?

No.

I'm old, I'm a senior saint now.

Okay.

I'm old.

I sure don't feel it.

Bless God, I'm still feel 40.

I'm a very young old, my wife says.

Okay.

All right.

But listen to me.

Learn to listen to those that have gone before you, that have lived right or have lived wrongly, but have repented and learned from their mistakes through their experience, it will save you endless hours of heartbreak.

Listen.

Listen.

Please listen.

Because we love you.

Not because we're trying to tell you what to do.

That's a when when Satan does that, well, they just think they know it all.

Well, at age 60, I know a lot.

I don't know it all, but I know a lot.

Okay?

I've been through a lot.

I've learned what to do and what not to do.

Can I get an amen?

And I've learned what right doing does compared to what wrongdoing does.

So we can help.

And we do it because we love you, we love you, we love you.

We don't want you to have to go through what we went through.

Hello?

We're okay out here?

And it all comes back to contentment.

Being content.

Paul says, hey, I've been rich and I've been poor.

Hey, he was he came from one of the most wealthiest families in the Bible.

He grew up wealthy.

He was he was the Hebrew of the Hebrews.

He had the highest position in the Sanhedrin you could have.

He was at the top.

But when God called him, he went from the top to the bottom in man's eyes.

Did you hear that?

But in God's eyes, he went to the top.

Now listen, here's the hardest thing for us to understand.

Sometimes when we go to the bottom, we're really going to the top.

That's good, preacher.

And the reason it's hard for us to understand that the world's prescription for success is totally opposite.

There's no way you can be at the top if you're at the bottom, the world says.

Even the full the Pharisees said, if you're poor and you're, you know, you're you're you don't have a lot, it's because there's sin in your life.

They had it wrong.

God says, no.

No.

The poor you have with you always.

And you can be poor, but yet be rich.

My grandparents were poor.

Physically.

Materially.

But they were rich.

Spiritually.

And I'm a byproduct of that.

Amen.

Amen, folks.

You with me?

You with me?

Oh, that's so good.

He says, I know how to be hungry.

I know how to be full.

Whew! And he goes on.

I'm not going to take time.

But 2 Corinthians 11, 23 through 33.

This is a direct indication against sometimes this health and wealth prosperity gospel.

When you read what Paul went through, beaten, left for dead three times, shipwrecked, flogged, had to be let down in a basket.

I meant from the moment he got saved on the Damascus Road and spent three years in the desert where the Lord started his ministry.

Hey, even at the church at Philippi, right after the church was started, they threw him in jail.

He was not an ivory tower theologian.

He was in the, hey, he was a in the trench theologian.

Amen.

The work of the church is not done in the church.

It's done in the trenches.

Amen.

Amen.

That's why we love to come see you.

We want to come see you.

But you got to feel like your little thing.

Say, Pastor, come see me.

I need to talk to you.

You got to let us know.

If I'm in the area, I'm going to show up anyway.

So you ought to just go ahead and let me know.

We're coming.

Because we love you.

I'm a shepherd.

Amen.

Yes, he is.

So, Paul's unique and constant suffering.

He had learned the secret.

Now let me show you the secret.

How he was able to be content at all times.

Look at, look at uh go to uh Colossians 3, Jeremy, then 2 Corinthians 4.17.

Look at what he says.

Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth.

Hey, set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth.

If you've been risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.

And then look at what he said in 2 Corinthians 4.17.

Now here it is.

Remember, I said it, it he said, godliness with contentment is great gain.

Look what you gain.

For our light affliction.

Now notice what Paul says.

He's in jail.

He's been beaten, left three times for dead.

He calls it a light affliction.

Man, I don't like that definition of light.

But for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

You know why he said it was light?

He said, I'm not gonna be here long.

In fact, he he for what he knew, he might be fixing to be executed right then.

But I know glory is waiting for me.

Because if Jesus can suffer for me like he suffered for my sufferings, just light compared to what he went through.

Is that not good?

Is that not good?

Oh, that's good.

Man, that's good.

Oh, that's so good.

That's so good.

That's good.

And then number four.

A contented person is strengthened by divine power.

No matter how difficult his struggles may have been, Paul had a spiritual undergirding and invisible means of support.

Hey, his adequacy and his sufficiency came from his union with the adequate, sufficient Christ.

I can do all things, look what he said, through him, Christ, who strengthens me.

Galatians 2.20.

I am crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless, I live, yet not I.

But Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Now, I want you to notice something that I can do there.

It's isko you.

It's a Greek word.

Here's what it means: I can do.

Means to be strong, to have power, to have resources.

I can do all things.

He had in mind physical, not spiritual things now.

And he's already been talking about all those six uh physical things that God provided for him.

So he's talking about, hey, physical.

In other words, I can do all things.

I have sufficient power.

I have great power.

I have all the power I need to make it.

Can I get an amen?

I have it all.

I have those resources.

Hey, it's called overpowered power in Acts 19.16.

It's called prevailing power in Acts 19.20.

In the great prayer verse in James 5.16, effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

It's called effectual power.

Wow!

That's good.

It encompasses all.

Paul was strong enough to endure anything through him who strengthened him.

Look at what he says in 1 Timothy 1 12.

This is it.

And I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath enabled me.

Woo! For that he counted me faithful.

There's that living right.

Putting me into the ministry.

Ladies and gentlemen, God called you and placed you into his body, which is his ministry.

Can I get an amen?

And then look at what he says in 2 Timothy 4.17.

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me.

Can I get an amen?

Say this with me.

The Lord stands with me.

The Lord stands with me.

The Lord stands with me.

And strengthens me.

Say it.

And strengthens me that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear.

And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

He is fixing to be thrown into an arena where the Christians were being eaten by lions.

And he said, But God delivered me because my mission was not finished, and my job was to preach the gospel everywhere I went.

Wow.

Is that not good?

I'm showing you why Paul was able to be content and have joy.

Why?

There it is.

Hey, he stood with me.

Can I tell you something?

If Jesus is standing with you, hey, if God be for you, say it with me.

Who can be against you?

Romans 8 31.

Nay, in all things we've been made more than conquerors through him that loves us.

Romans 8, 37.

Whew.

Look at Isaiah 40.

You got to see this, 29 31.

This ought to make a Presbyterian shout.

No, look what.

Hey, he giveth power to the faint.

You feel, hey, you feel down in that, he's got power for you.

Hey, to them that have no might, he increases strength.

Hey, you feel down in that, you don't have any strength to go on.

He says, I'll strengthen you, I will empower you.

Even the youth, look at verse 30, even the youth, young people, shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

Oh, we can't go on.

America's going.

Oh, it's going to.

Yeah, you know.

But then what wait, what he says?

But then he says, Yeah, they're faint, they're ready to give up, they're ready to quit, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up wings as eagles.

They shall run and not be weary.

They shall walk and not quit, not faint, not give up.

Those that work hard and live right will be blessed.

Those that wait upon the Lord.

Those that wait upon the Lord.

The greatest example is Paul in 2 Corinthians 7.

He says, My grace, his grace is sufficient.

All right, let's go to the last thing and wind it up.

Boy, this is good.

Say this is good, preacher.

Woo! Man, a contented person is preoccupied with the well-beings of others.

Woo! Hello.

We wake up in the morning saying, Oh, God, I can't wait to be a blessing to other people.

Or do we wake up and say, oh God, I can't wait for somebody to bless me?

Now we don't say that, but we live that way sometimes.

Amen?

Amen?

In the morning.

Oh boy, this is tough.

Okay.

In the morning, gentlemen, except for I will.

He does this already.

I want us to wake up and I want us to look to our wives and say, honey, how can I be a blessing to you today?

And all the men are looking at me like.

Amen.

Think about, I like it.

Think about others before yourself.

Amen.

Now, and I'm not gonna, verses 14 through 19, I'm not gonna read them, but let me just say a few things and we'll be we'll wind it up.

But here's what he said.

In Philippians 2, 4, he says, look not every man on his own things, but every man on the things of others.

And why did he say that?

Verse 5.

Because this is the mind of Christ.

Verse 5, he said, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ.

Well, Christ's mind was on you.

What if Christ had been conceited and selfish?

He would have never left heaven, come down, and died for you and me.

Amen.

Amen.

He wasn't selfish.

Yeah.

And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Amen.

Isn't that beautiful?

And then he goes on and he says, Well done.

He says, You came to me.

Look at verse 14.

Done well.

You came to me in my affliction.

Listen to me.

Here it is.

You came to me at the right time.

Hey, because of God's divine direction.

Listen to me.

We need to be a church that comes to the needs of people at the right time through God's divine intervention and direction.

You are a blessing waiting to happen.

Hello.

You just got to start looking for those that are afflicted.

Come on with me.

Help me now.

Come on, church.

Just be aware.

Look for other people's needs.

Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 6, 19 and 20.

Powerful.

Listen to what he said.

He said in Matthew 6, 19, lay not yourself, hey, lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth where moth and rust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

That's being ready to be a blessing at the right time, at the right place.

He says in 1 Timothy 6 17, I charge them that are rich for us that have plenty in this world that you be not high-minded, don't be proud.

Don't trust in uncertain, don't trust in, because God's blessed you with material things.

Don't trust in that, but in the living God who giveth you richly all things to enjoy.

By the way, if you've got a lot of things, that's okay if the things don't have you.

And you're using those things for other people.

Can I get an amen?

That's the key, folks.

And then verse 18, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.

God's blessed you with a lot of things so that you can bless others.

But don't forget, if you don't have a lot of things, God still has blessed you to bless others.

Remember?

You remember that?

It's not give what you have out of what you have, not what you want.

So, now, real quick, this is awesome.

The generous man will be pros.

I want you to see something that I'm through because most preachers are afraid to preach on this.

The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 11, 24 and 25.

I want you to see this.

I want you to see this.

Proverbs 11, 24, and 25.

There is one who scatters and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, uh-oh, and yet it results only in want.

In other words, when he holds what he's got, and it's not using it to be a blessing.

Hey, he's not blessed.

Look at it.

Look at it.

That's what it says in Proverbs 11, 24 and 25.

And then he says, What?

The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.

Later in Proverbs, look at what he says in Proverbs 19, 17.

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord.

Did you hear me?

Woo! Hey, lends to the Lord, and that which he has given will he pay him again.

God will pay your dividends.

Can I get an amen?

Folks, you cannot give God.

Can I get an amen?

He'll pay your dividends.

Hey, you lend to the poor.

It's like lending to the Lord.

Look at Proverbs 22, 9.

This is awesome.

He that hath a bountiful eye, looking to be a blessing, looking to give, shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Look at verse 27.

He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack, but the he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Wow.

Why does God bless this church so quickly?

We just closed on a house this week.

That's$101,000 we just put in the bank to put toward the land.

And when we pay that, we will owe a little over a hundred thousand, and that's it off of a half a million dollars.

Can we give God a hand?

Why is that?

Because we help the poor.

We help people.

We made a promise, and I reiterate it.

We will never put ourselves in positions with payments that we can't meet people's need in our church.

We won't do that.

Hello.

Amen.

Because it's not all about land and buildings, it's about people.

It's about, and thank God for SERPRO.

Let's give SERPRO a hand.

That we have this beautiful building, the worship in.

It's about people.

Being a light in the community.

And then I close with this.

Acts 20, 35.

Acts 20, 35.

Jesus said, It's more blessed.

He says, I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus.

He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

And that's good.

I want to close with this.

I found this in all my readings this past week.

Hebrews 12:1 says, Lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares.

Hebrews 12:1

I know what you're thinking.

Preacher, fill in those five words.

Okay, I will.

Contentment illustrated in the life of Paul with five words.

Write them in real quick.

Faith.

I saw Susan look up at me.

You got five blanks here you didn't fill in.

Submission.

Dependence.

Humility.

I'm gonna repeat them again.

Unselfishness.

Faith, number one.

I gave you the verse.

Most of them I've quoted.

Submission, number two, three, dependence, four, humility, five, unselfishness.

Those five biblical, tremendous points are all encompassed in the message today.

Now, I want to give you what I found.

It was a devotion I found.

Is there junk in your life?

Is there junk in your life?

Listen to this devotion.

Picture a big ship being worked on in dry docked.

I've seen this at Mobile Bay.

I've watched them do this.

Beneath the water line is all the junk it has picked up during its voyages, particles.

Nobody can see it, but an experienced captain can feel it because the ship lacks the oomp it once had.

As a result, companies complain that it takes too long to get goods for their customers, and the ship's owners are unhappy because it hurts their bottom line in a competitive market.

The effort required to remove the junk is backbreaking and time consuming, but there's no other way to do it.

Finally, after months of hard work, the dry dock is flooded with water, the gates open, and the big vessel heads out to sea and back into the prophet column.

Writing, uh, so back into the prophet column.

Writing to the believers at Corinth, Paul says, examine yourselves, whether you're in the faith, 2 Corinthians 13, 5.

Test yourselves.

Let's be honest, it's easier to examine your neighbor than to examine yourself.

Oh, oh me.

Or talk about what you once accomplished instead of what you're accomplishing now.

Well, are you losing your spiritual momentum?

Are you slowing down?

Are you in the profit or loss column?

You'll find the answer under the water line where only God and you can see.

Wow.

Carelessness, critical spirit, compromise, conformity to the world, and coldness of heart.

That's the junk that builds up and slows you down.

These are the subtle sins you must deal with in order to be everything God called you to be.

What a powerful example to that message.

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

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Send us an email at office at the church at CW.com.

We hope you have a wonderful day and again, God bless you.