Episode 36: Being Content with Little

In the name of the Glorious Trinity.

Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever.

Amen. Glory be to the Everlasting

mercies which sent you to us. Oh, Christ the light of the

world and the life of all give us wisdom by a law and Enlighten

our impulses, by your knowledge, sanctify, ourselves by your

truth, and Grant that we may be obedient to your words and may

fulfill your Commandments at every hour.

Oh, you who enlightens the rationale with the knowledge of

your greatness do in light or my Lord are thoughts that we made?

Meditate upon your holy and divine scriptures at all times

O, Lord of all Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever.

Double-edged sword, a Christian podcast Ministry presented by

father, jernard Lazar. Father, jernard is a parish

priest of the mud edit Parish of the Assyrian Church of the East

and Turlock California. Here's father.

Jonard one of the many difficult attributes or characteristics in

our Christian lives. Life.

In general is being content, being satisfied, being content

with what we have or what we have, not being content with

what we receive or miss out on being content in any lives,

cruel disheartening, disappointing displeasing.

And all the disses circumstances that life throws in us or at us.

You see Christmas is around the corner, right?

And we're preparing our gifts, we're buying gifts for others.

We've already started wrapping them and we're anticipating to

receive a gift from others. But remember the idea of, it's

the thoughts that count. That's slowly diminishing.

Now, we ask, what would you like me to buy you for Christmas?

And it's not about the gift giving or the present purchasing

it's about celebrating the birth of Christ.

But even then, There has to be contentment of what iris I need

to be pleased. I need to, I need to need what I

receive. I need to be satisfied with what

I receive or what I give away. So as difficult as not existing

as it sounds or as contentment sounds, it is actually counted

as a great gain. It is a great Victory, a great

success along with godliness. According to what st.

Paul writes to Timothy in his first epistle.

Chapter 6, verses 6 to 10. We're going to break it down.

It begins by saying, but godliness that beat, that means

being god-like being christ-like being complete.

As our father, in Heaven is complete.

So godliness actually is a means of great gain success when

accompanied by contentment. We could love the Lord, pray to

the Lord and ask that he's will be done in our lives.

That he's will always supersede our will.

And when he does, we're not content, We complain.

So, why is it a game to be godliness accompanied by

contentment? Why must I be content when I

don't have or can't have what my neighbor has?

Why must I be content with my five figures salary?

When my friend, my cousin, my relative, my sister, my brother

is Basking in his or her six-figure salary.

Or better still, how is it that those who are in some of the

most undesirable situations in life?

Genuinely joyfully, I will add our content with their life I

can never forget a video that I watched on on.

I think it was Facebook. It was a video of a father who

would ride his bicycle to a restaurant and this is in the

evening just before the restaurant will close and he

would ride his bicycle to the restaurant.

Now the restauranteur would save the food that was left on the

plates of The customers. For example, if there was a

third of a chicken left on the plate not in the kitchen, or

there was some rice and some baked potato, that wasn't

touched, he would leave them and place them in a plastic bag and

hold them, reserve them for the father who would ride his bike

to the restaurant, the father would collect the food in a bag.

This is leftovers beloved and he would ride back home with his

children. I'm being Overjoyed because they

received food. They're going to eat dinner but

you know that that didn't touch my heart.

What touched my heart? What rebuked me and admonished

me was this that before they began to eat as one of the

children. Stretch the hand to eat.

The father said, no signaling. Wait, we need to pray praying

for leftovers being content. Praising God.

That today, we are able Eating, even though they are leftovers.

So how is it? Beloved, How can one be so

content? Well, firstly, because those who

are content with the most undesirable situations in life,

they know they have accepted believed and they live by the

fact that God will always provide. they have understood

and this is where we missed the mark, beloved, they have

understood the nature and the Splendor, and the power, and the

might, and the capability, the omnipotence, the honestly, the

faithfulness of God, they have read the scriptures and not only

ready to use them to correct people, which is one of the use

of the scriptures, but to understand and to live to apply

in life. They have understood what Jesus

assured in Matthew 10:29, and this is what they live by.

Matthew 10:29

Jesus says are not Two Sparrows, sold for a Cent and yet not one

of them will fall to the ground apart from your father, or your

father's knowledge, but the very hairs of your head.

You who are listening, stop the vacuuming stop the washing of

the dishes. Pull over to one side, listen to

this. You whoever you may be wherever

you may be Who love the Lord listen to what Jesus is telling

you and I both but the very hairs of your head are numbered

showing the, the precise knowledge and forethought of God

for you. And I but the very hairs of your

head are all numbered. So do not feed.

You are most valuable than many sparrows, you know, it in

Matthew 6. Jesus goes on to say, look at

the birds of the sky. Thanks.

I don't toil, they don't have to apply for positions.

They don't have to invest money in stocks and what is it?

Dodge come, they don't have to wait for Elon Musk musk to see

what's gonna come out of his mouth and everyone pours money

into that specific stock. No, they don't do that.

But the Father in Heaven provides for them.

How much are you more worth than the birds?

You know, animals don't have a soul.

We have a body, a soul and we have the spirit, the Holy

Spirit, the animals don't have a soul.

The animal's life is within their own blood.

So when they die, we say we use the words to get Lee.

That means they have gone finished.

There's no and I'm sorry, I'm going to rain on a few people's

bread. There's no animal and doggy

heaven, and doggy and catty Heaven.

It's not in the Bible, it's on the scriptures.

Not in the writings of the church fathers.

But yet, let me tell you, two more videos that I've seen one

very recently. And you can Google this Google

fish spitting, water out of out of a lake to get to the, I think

it's a grasshopper. So the fish is in the water,

just on the surface floating on the surface, and the fish's eye

is caught on a grasshopper. There is on a branch.

The fish spits out water to hit the branch, knowing where the

grasshopper is going to land immediately swims towards that

and eat. And that day that fish will live

because that fish has had food. Another mind-blowing with video,

I saw last week, it was on Facebook and we were trying to

find it Stephen and I bird was plucking twigs and where was it?

The Birds storing The Twig so that it could fly away and build

a nest in. I'm not sure if those in her

feathers, I mean Stephen made a good point in the house, the

bird going to fly, but you guys maybe have seen it.

I mean, if you have The snow somewhere.

It's storing it in her in her what we call the her coat or her

wings. And and you know, it was it was

amazing because I thought how does help who taught this bird,

how to store twigs and transport them to the branch to to start

knitting, her nest. God provides beloved.

And if the God Is providing as Jesus says, for the birds and

the trees, and the plantation, he is at in in in the Book of

Job job. God says, to job, where were

you? When Joe was complaining?

I think was about 28 verses or 32 versus job is complaining.

God says, listen, where were you?

Where were you? When I made the reins to pour in

the wilderness so that the plantation would grow so that

the animals would live? From that Plantation.

That is why the people you know, those who are content in any

disease or undesirable situations have understood the

true meaning and the truth behind the word of God that says

that I will never leave you, I will provide for you and also,

secondly, Paul continues in verse 7, he continues to say

that for we have brought nothing into the world.

So we cannot take anything out of it either.

So, what we have, I should be content with Jesus taught us to

pray to the Lord, to the father, and ask for our daily bread.

Not weekly bread, monthly bread or decade bread, daily bread.

I ate today, I weigh close today.

I am working today, I will be paid for today.

My bills will be paid my fee. My table will be, will be full.

My children will eat, Praise You, Lord God, one day, this is

all going to end as well, but what I have, I thank you.

I am content with the leftovers. I am content.

My auntie God, Rest, her soul would say, Bruni as my son.

You know, when we were young, we were poor.

We were, you know, we weren't Rich, we didn't have the luxury

of some other people had and, you know, we would gather and

Pray and eat our food every day. Sometimes it could have been

just dried bread, you know our fathers would would would end

their abstinence which means fasting fasting Intel's

abstaining. So when they would end their

abstinence, they would end it through by eating dry bread,

like my buuza and having a glass of water and yet they were still

content. Look at what John chrysostom it

writes amazing on these verses for there is no one free.

Only one who lives for Christ. He stands Superior to all

troubles, any undesirable circumstances.

And if he does not choose to injure himself, no one else will

be able to to do this. For he is impregnable.

That means he is secure. He is not stung by the loss of

wealth for he has learned that we brought nothing to the into

this world. And neither, can we carry

anything out? He continues.

He is not caught by the longings of ambition Or Glory for.

He has learned that our citizenship is in heaven.

Philippians 3:20, no one. Annoys him by abuse or provokes

Philippians 3:20

him by blows. There is only one Calamity one

disaster for a Christian. What is this?

What do you think hunger? Illness.

Being poor being limited know. There is only one Calamity

disaster for a Christian Disobedience to God writes.

Saint John chrysostom and he continues all the other things

such as loss of property, Exile, Peril that is danger in the

risks of life. No one, sorry, one does not even

reckon to be a grievance at all one, who is content and that.

Which all dread. Departure hands to the other

world. That is death.

This is to him sweeter than life itself.

This is the person who is content with what he or she has

or has not saying Paul continues to Timothy first letter to

Timothy chapter 6, verse 8 if we have food and covering with

these, we shall be content. Look at The Bear Necessities.

The simple bare nostromo's, Jungle Book, right?

I think it was Jungle Book. It was that, that, that bear,

that was scratching his back on the bamboo stick, I used to

watch it. I like that.

Haven't watched it for a long time, you know, my going, watch

it today. That is yesterday.

Look at the bare necessities, the simple Bare Necessities food

and covering If we are content beloved with what we have, any

covering any food and some John, chrysostom is going to write

about this whole. I'll share it with you.

When we are content st. Paul writes in Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

3, God who can give us immeasurably things wouldn't

even think of if you are content with the clothes on your back,

God will provide. If it pleases him in a pieces

him, if we are content with the food that we have, God will

continue to provide immeasurably.

Saint, John chrysostom comments on this but he's talking about a

wife and her husband. Listen to what he writes for it

is not by beautifying herself or by living a life of luxury or by

demanding from her husband, money or being extravagant and

lavish. That a good wife will be able to

win him over. you know, we don't need to post some of those

Amazing mind-boggling posts that are sisters are posting on

Instagram and on tick-tocks and on Snapchat and Facebook.

Why to be able to win over the heart and the attraction of a

male or vice versa st. John chrysostom says no no no,

it's not by this how when she removes herself from all present

concerns and Rinse upon herself, the apostolic way of life.

Meaning the true way of life, when she displays great,

modesty, decorum disdain for money and forbearances.

Then she will be able to capture him when she says, if we have

food and clothing, we have all that we need.

When she practices this philosophy in her actions and

laughing at physical death calls, this This life nothing

when she considers along with the profit.

Every Glory of this life, to be as the flowers of the field,

Isaiah 46, then she will capture him.

Of wife will capture the love the satisfaction.

The faithfulness of her husband, when she is content with what he

can provide and vice versa, likewise the husband.

Now, those who are not content and want more and more, there is

a danger beloved when we are not content with the leftover Foods,

we may be eating and we pray that the Lord will provide for

everyone. Paul goes on to, in verse 9 and

says, those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare

and met many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge men into

rumen and discussion this destruction.

Now, I must say that st. Paul here by no means is

discrediting or disapproving riches, but more.

So, the desires, the intention and the foolishness I'm not

Content. Why?

Because she has, or he has, I must have, no, I'm content

because I have what God has given me.

I am content that I don't have. What my neighbor has enriches is

not money alone. Prepare beloved not just

property and assets, riches can be Comfort.

We want to have comfort. We don't want to suffer in this

world. Why you must we suffer in this

world. I don't want In pain, I don't

want sorrow, I don't want Agony, I don't want illness.

Well, that's not being realistic.

Beloved because the world is a corrupted, Fallen World, and can

provide nothing but calamities. Riches are not money and

property alone. Gladness being happy in Christ.

I want to be more happy. I'm not happy if people come up

to me and and you know I don't know what it is I'm just sad, I

don't know what it is. Well be content if your content

then you will not be sad because whatever circumstance you have

and you praise the Lord Jesus Christ.

And you know that he is with you until the end of the world and

your content, you're satisfied. Well they won't be sadness.

Knowing that one day we're going to leave this world knowing that

this world st. Peter, right?

That will melt all the elements will melt everything will be

left behind and will melt. There is nothing that we're

going to take with us and then maybe you will be glad and you

will be happy. So st.

Paul is writing about the desirable evil love for these

which is a path to ruin and destruction.

The love for being continuously joyous and happy and glad the

only gladness we have Beloved, the only joy we have that cannot

be taken away from us is through Jesus Christ and that Joy when

you went, when we hear the word Joy, leaming always, you know,

enjoying ourselves and laughing. Being and carry on?

No, no, the joy in suffering as well, only through Jesus Christ.

Why? Because he suffered for you.

And I first and he died for you, and I and he overcame suffering,

he overcame death and sin and we have Victory through him on this

Earth or in the Kingdom of Heaven according to God's

perfect plan for you. I Saint Paul writes and

reiterates in Hebrews 13:5, let not your mind.

Hebrews 13:5

Love money, not only money power, Fame attraction, Let not

your mind, love money. But let what you have satisfy

you for the Lord himself has said I will never leave you nor

slacken the hand towards you. So one of the most helpful

beneficial way of putting God's will before the Earthly desire,

which was one of the questions. How do we do this in this most

trying and challenging world? How do we put God's will before

the Earthly desire before the world is be content?

Be content where you are in your faith, you believe in the Lord,

Jesus Christ, praise and glory be to his name.

You have been baptized in the father, in the name of the

father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of

Jesus Christ, praise the Lord Jesus Christ because you have

been put to death with him, in your baptism.

And you have been brought to life with him.

You read your holy scriptures, you pray.

You have a communication with your heavenly father through

Jesus Christ. You attend church, you partake

in the old sanctifying body and blood of our Lord.

Jesus Christ. You fast.

You perform your your good deed. Your charitable Deeds.

Praise God. Maybe it is not for you to go

and evangelize the world know some people want to and then

they are not content because they are unable to that is not

for you. Be content with the way you are

in faith. Examine yourself test yourself

If your conscience is not rebuking you, if your conscience

is clear and your conscience is encouraging, you praise God and

remain and wait for God to move, who can do immeasurably, who can

call you to, to, to the callings.

That are immeasurable. You never even thought of

yesterday, we celebrated, the Angelic and uncie ation to the

Blessed ever Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, the son

of God, look at Mary's respond beloved. 14 years old told that

she will be impregnated without a man.

If you chuckle just now. Yeah, but she didn't chuckle.

She was fearful. She was astonished.

When she heard the sound of the voice of the Angel.

But look at her. Listen to her reply, beloved

Luke, 1:38. Behold!

I am the handmaid of the Lord God.

We are God's servants and handmaidens.

We are his children, but just as servants, we are ready for God

to use us. According to whatsoever, he

pleases, even if our life will be in danger.

And if you read Mary story, annually, read Luke chapter 1,

Luke 1 · chapter mention

you know what I'm talking about. I am the handmaid of the Lord

God let it be done to me according to your word.

Obedience acceptance, willingness Readiness ready for

God to work according to his will and being content.

What a beautiful role model, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

That didn't argue. The reason why she asked that,

how could it be? Because there has been, no man.

Is because in the history of the world, no woman has conceived

without a man. Zechariah was punished because

prior to Zechariah and being a priest, he should have known

that they were Barren. An old woman sir, I who did give

birth through God's power, but Mary was the first and the last

to give birth to the Son of God. And yet she accepted it and she

was content. So, as we approach the Advent of

our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. if we don't have the ham

on the table, beloved, if we don't receive any gifts and what

little we can give let us first. Praise God for it.

Praise God for his son, for the gift of his son, to the whole

world. If I can't give Steven anything

and saving his a little bit upset, don't wait for a gift, by

the wasting. If I can't give Stephen a gift

and he's upset and maybe, you know, he's got the courage to

come and say a hobby, you know, I mean, he didn't even buy me

anything I'd say, hey, Steven God the father has given you the

greatest gift ever, which is he son l?

Jesus Christ, so be content. The gift, I give you will perish

the gift. I give you will be superseded by

version 10.10 point 10.10 point. Turn, what I find here, we are

up to now, 14. Well, let me tell you probably

20 is in the line now to, right? So things are changing, the

iPhone 10. Now, is one of those thing would

say he, bro, there's iPhone 14. Now, so what we give one another

is, Limited but what God has given us regardless of what

shape what amount, what quantity, what quality which is

always perfect. Let's be content and I pray that

the willing and the spirit of contentment is bestowed upon

each and every one of us so that we can possess it first and

foremost and only for the glory of our Heavenly King.

Jesus Christ. Praise and glory be to His holy

name now and at all times and forever.

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