WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 So this morning, I'll be speaking on contentment in Christ. 00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:06.259 Let's pray. 00:00:08.120 --> 00:00:10.500 Lord God, we thank you for your goodness. 00:00:11.120 --> 00:00:12.099 Lord, we thank you for Jesus. 00:00:12.439 --> 00:00:14.000 Lord, we thank you for saving us. 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:17.820 We thank you for giving us everything that we need for this life and godliness. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:23.559 God, I pray this morning, Lord, that you, by your spirit, would turn our hearts to Christ. 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:26.900 You'd remind us of how much we have to be thankful for, 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:30.439 how faithful you've been, how faithful you are, Lord. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:34.060 I pray that you convict us, Lord, of areas where we're discontent 00:00:34.060 --> 00:00:36.560 and tempted not to believe, Lord. 00:00:37.259 --> 00:00:39.259 Lord, I pray that you turn our hearts to Jesus this morning. 00:00:39.519 --> 00:00:44.259 Lord, I pray that you correct our thinking, that you'd allow us to see Jesus rightly. 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:48.599 God, I pray for my own heart, Lord, that you give me your burden this morning. 00:00:49.099 --> 00:00:51.399 In your words, Jesus' name. Amen. 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:58.879 So the text I'm going to be speaking on primarily is Philippians 4, verses 10 through 13. 00:00:59.839 --> 00:01:02.399 And Paul's writing to the Philippians. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:09.780 I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your concern for me. 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:13.560 You are indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:19.759 Not that I'm speaking of being in need, for I've learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:24.600 I know how to be brought low and how to abound. 00:01:25.020 --> 00:01:31.420 In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 00:01:31.800 --> 00:01:34.340 I can do all things through a thing that strengthens me. 00:01:35.460 --> 00:01:40.439 So Paul was writing this passage when he was in prison for evangelizing. 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:42.680 It was in 60 to 62 AD. 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:48.060 And it was very likely that he was chained to a Roman soldier as he was writing this text. 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:52.160 So if you think about it, you can put yourself in that situation. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:59.580 It would be very easy for us to be tempted to be discontent if we were in prison, first sharing the gospel, being chained. 00:02:00.360 --> 00:02:01.920 And Paul is in this situation. 00:02:02.020 --> 00:02:04.980 He's writing that he's learned the secret, the secret of being content. 00:02:05.740 --> 00:02:07.000 And that's through Christ. 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:10.139 In verses 11 and 12, he says, 00:02:10.219 --> 00:02:15.000 Not that I'm speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:17.139 I know how to be brought low. 00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:18.560 I know how to abound. 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:22.520 In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty. 00:02:23.300 --> 00:02:27.580 In hunger, abundance and need, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:02:28.420 --> 00:02:32.060 So verse 13, it's a very common verse. 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:33.360 It's quoted a lot. 00:02:33.960 --> 00:02:36.360 And it's a really encouraging verse. 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:38.020 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:42.980 A lot of times people use this quote sometimes in even sports or different things. 00:02:43.640 --> 00:02:47.700 But what Paul was writing, he wasn't writing that he can do anything that he sets his mind to. 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:53.360 He was actually writing through Christ, through trials, he can persevere in a trial. 00:02:53.640 --> 00:02:57.020 Because by looking to Christ, that's where his contentment comes. 00:02:57.720 --> 00:03:02.420 And so this morning, my aim is that we would see that looking to Christ and trusting to God 00:03:02.420 --> 00:03:05.320 is a way that we are able to find contentment in life as Christians. 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:15.240 So when we look at our circumstances, circumstances are sometimes things that cause us to, in our minds, be discontent. 00:03:15.920 --> 00:03:17.720 You know, you have a bad life circumstance. 00:03:18.220 --> 00:03:19.480 Things are going how you want. 00:03:20.140 --> 00:03:21.360 You get frustrated. 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:22.960 You get discontent. 00:03:23.200 --> 00:03:23.900 You complain. 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:25.760 Sometimes you lose your temper. 00:03:26.819 --> 00:03:30.680 And this is a result of actually not trusting in the Lord in those circumstances. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.580 You see, life circumstances always change. 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:40.759 You know, if we find our contentment and our joy and our comfort in life circumstances, we're going to be disappointed. 00:03:41.040 --> 00:03:43.460 There's going to be something that happens in life that wasn't what we wanted. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:46.300 Something's going to work out that not how we had it planned. 00:03:46.300 --> 00:03:48.060 And we're going to be shaken. 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:55.580 But if our trust and our contentment is in Jesus, the rock, who is steady, we're able to weather those storms. 00:03:56.620 --> 00:04:02.200 And so circumstances, if you think about it, they just really expose what's going on in our hearts. 00:04:03.060 --> 00:04:03.360 Right? 00:04:04.020 --> 00:04:08.480 The circumstances just reveal in the moment if our hearts have been trusting in the Lord, 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:13.439 or if our hearts are trusting in our own self, or if something else. 00:04:13.619 --> 00:04:13.739 Right? 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.519 And whenever we put our trust into something else, or we're trying to orchestrate our lives, 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:23.980 try to get things in order how we want them, and those things don't work out, and we get frustrated, 00:04:24.019 --> 00:04:26.819 it just exposes in our hearts that we weren't trusting in God. 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:27.620 Right? 00:04:27.620 --> 00:04:32.779 It just exposes that our thoughts were not turned to Him in those moments. 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:35.259 And that gives us an opportunity to turn to the Lord. 00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:38.879 You know, so it's actually, we can look at it actually as God's kindness, 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:41.639 when He's showing us our own frustrations. 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:44.199 And we can repent and turn to the Lord. 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:47.099 And then say, okay, I need to see Jesus rightly. 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:49.139 I need to see my life circumstances like rightly. 00:04:49.939 --> 00:04:54.639 And so these life circumstances that we sometimes put a lot of our focus on, 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:59.680 and whether it's our health, our kids, or our kids' health, or our spouse, 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:05.439 our marriage, our work, our church, money, how much money is in the bank account, 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:09.019 how much money is not in the bank account, sleep, how much sleep we're getting, 00:05:09.100 --> 00:05:12.160 how much sleep we're not getting, all these things, they do affect us. 00:05:12.420 --> 00:05:12.480 Right? 00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:14.340 They're things that affect us every day. 00:05:14.339 --> 00:05:17.439 But that's not what we put our focus in. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:18.459 That's not what we put our trust in. 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:21.259 As Christians, the Lord wants us to trust in Him. 00:05:21.799 --> 00:05:21.899 Right? 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:23.379 Trust in Him in these eternal things. 00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:30.339 So whenever we're focused on ourselves, that's another area where it's a trap for discontentment. 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:31.519 Right? 00:05:31.539 --> 00:05:34.559 When we're thinking about what other people think of us, 00:05:34.899 --> 00:05:38.839 or image, or wanting people to like us, 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:42.479 or being in shape, or not being in shape, or this or that. 00:05:42.619 --> 00:05:42.739 Right? 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:45.719 Or job, wanting people to feel like you're doing a good job in your work. 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:47.599 Wanting the praise of man. 00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:50.399 Being disappointed when you feel rejection by man. 00:05:50.939 --> 00:05:53.439 These are all things that we should not be put in our hope in. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:55.500 Because these are all things that are unsteady. 00:05:56.179 --> 00:05:56.379 Right? 00:05:56.939 --> 00:05:58.120 Psalm 23, 1. 00:05:58.339 --> 00:06:00.000 The Lord is my shepherd. 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:01.299 I shall not want. 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:02.419 Right? 00:06:02.419 --> 00:06:05.839 We need to find our rest and comfort in knowing that the Lord is for us. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:10.060 The other thing, we need to realize that discontentment is sin. 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:14.859 Whenever we're discontent, we're actually not being thankful for what God has given us. 00:06:15.679 --> 00:06:15.859 Right? 00:06:15.919 --> 00:06:19.779 We're not believing that God has our best interests in this particular moment in life. 00:06:20.259 --> 00:06:22.000 And we're wishing we had something over there. 00:06:22.339 --> 00:06:24.019 And that would make things a little better. 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:24.500 Right? 00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:27.139 If I only had this, then that'd be better. 00:06:27.659 --> 00:06:29.879 If this life situation was this, then that'd be a little better. 00:06:30.699 --> 00:06:33.479 If whatever it is, you can fill in the blank. 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:38.620 Well, what the Lord wants us to do, he wants us to turn our gaze to Christ and his faithfulness. 00:06:39.300 --> 00:06:42.160 And then have thankfulness abound in us. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:42.360 Right? 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:47.319 So all these little things that come in, we can actually turn towards thankfulness. 00:06:47.860 --> 00:06:51.840 If you're discontent about your job, things aren't going how you want it to. 00:06:52.660 --> 00:06:56.200 Actually, thank the Lord for a job that you can provide for your family. 00:06:56.939 --> 00:07:00.660 If you're discontent about how your kids are doing, thank the Lord that you have kids. 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:02.040 Bless you from the Lord. 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:07.400 If you're discontent about being single, thank the Lord for your singleness, that he knows what's best for your life. 00:07:08.200 --> 00:07:08.360 Right? 00:07:08.379 --> 00:07:13.660 If you're discontent about your marriage, be thankful that you're married, that God has given you a spouse. 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:14.120 Right? 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:18.700 These are all things that the Lord actually wants us to train our thoughts towards thankfulness for. 00:07:18.860 --> 00:07:19.180 Right? 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:21.660 And this actually turns our gaze to Christ. 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:28.040 You know, the other thing is that can cause us to not actually be thinking about the Lord's sovereign hand. 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:33.520 And then contentment is not really believing that God is in control of our life. 00:07:34.260 --> 00:07:34.660 Right? 00:07:34.760 --> 00:07:37.980 That all things work out for our good according to his purposes. 00:07:38.320 --> 00:07:39.100 Romans 8.28. 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:45.640 That when we're not thinking about his sovereign hand over our life, when things aren't going well, we're just caught up in the moment. 00:07:46.180 --> 00:07:46.580 Right? 00:07:46.640 --> 00:07:49.500 We're just kind of thinking about, man, this is not how I want. 00:07:49.900 --> 00:07:50.840 Now I'm getting frustrated. 00:07:51.140 --> 00:07:51.939 Now I'm losing temper. 00:07:51.939 --> 00:07:56.639 And what we need to do in this moment is actually turn to the Lord in repentance. 00:07:57.339 --> 00:08:01.339 When things aren't going well, we need to actually turn to him in prayer and thanksgiving. 00:08:02.259 --> 00:08:06.220 I'm going to read Philippians 4.6, which is just four verses before this. 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:08.159 I'm going to start at verse 4. 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:10.579 Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:08:11.379 --> 00:08:12.740 Again, I will say rejoice. 00:08:13.379 --> 00:08:15.819 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:16.879 The Lord is at hand. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:26.360 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 00:08:26.980 --> 00:08:32.679 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:40.159 Have you ever been tempted to be fearful or anxious when you face a trial in life? 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:41.639 I think all of us have. 00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:47.360 And the Lord is actually wanting us, Paul's writing this in Philippians, to rejoice. 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:49.100 Rejoice always. 00:08:49.939 --> 00:08:52.899 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:53.840 The Lord is at hand. 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:55.419 The Lord is in control. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:00.419 And then it talks about when you pray with thanksgiving, submit your requests to God. 00:09:00.860 --> 00:09:02.919 When we're doing that, we're actually submitting our lives to him. 00:09:02.980 --> 00:09:05.480 We're saying, Lord, I submit to your will. 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:06.779 I know you know what's best. 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:09.000 And I'm thankful for you. 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:10.779 I'm thankful for your faithfulness in my life. 00:09:10.779 --> 00:09:11.839 But I submit this to you. 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:13.860 I submit my kids' health to you. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:15.339 I submit my wife's health to you. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:17.500 I submit my job situation to you, Lord. 00:09:17.539 --> 00:09:18.740 We pray for your help in this. 00:09:19.139 --> 00:09:20.220 And that's what he wants us to do. 00:09:20.259 --> 00:09:25.319 He wants us to turn our worries to him, turn our fears to him, turn our frustrations to him, right? 00:09:25.860 --> 00:09:27.600 And it's not a sin to pray, right? 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:28.779 He wants to hear from us. 00:09:28.819 --> 00:09:29.519 He loves us. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:31.620 But he wants us to do it with the right heart. 00:09:32.199 --> 00:09:33.379 Where we're not frustrated. 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:35.539 Where we're not asking that God picks something in our lives. 00:09:35.539 --> 00:09:41.039 But we're submitting to the Lord and saying, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:09:42.459 --> 00:09:47.319 And so looking back, as I was preparing for this, I was praying, and I was looking back. 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:53.799 And I was reminded of the Lord's faithfulness in our lives and in our own marriage and our family and our kids. 00:09:53.799 --> 00:09:57.279 And many of us have been married 25 years this summer. 00:09:58.219 --> 00:10:01.799 And things have not always gone how we wanted to go, right? 00:10:01.839 --> 00:10:04.539 Things have not always been great. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:06.240 Things have been good, right? 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:07.079 We've had trials. 00:10:07.819 --> 00:10:09.000 I can remember a time. 00:10:09.579 --> 00:10:15.099 And it actually made me well up with thankfulness and just realizing the Lord's faithfulness. 00:10:15.099 --> 00:10:20.019 So I can remember about the first 10 years of our marriage, things were financially tight. 00:10:20.019 --> 00:10:26.759 And it was actually a really sweet time when we were really relying upon the Lord to provide for us. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:30.139 And we faced one of our first adoption. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:32.639 And we didn't have the money for it. 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:34.360 And we prayed about it. 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:35.799 We felt peace about it. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:38.340 And felt that the Lord was calling us to do it. 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:39.500 And so we did it. 00:10:40.220 --> 00:10:43.679 And I looked back and I see the Lord's faithfulness in that. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:50.539 And it was a time where we didn't have money for all the groceries that we probably needed. 00:10:51.199 --> 00:10:55.159 We didn't have money to fix cars and do different things. 00:10:55.579 --> 00:10:56.859 We didn't have money for Christmas gifts. 00:10:57.379 --> 00:10:59.779 But I look back and I saw the Lord's faithfulness in that. 00:10:59.819 --> 00:11:02.519 It was probably some of the most memorable times we've had together as a family. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:04.000 And our kids didn't even know. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:06.739 They didn't even know that we were tied, that we didn't have money in the bank. 00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:08.519 And the Lord provided. 00:11:08.620 --> 00:11:12.399 Looking back now, it was 15 years later or more. 00:11:12.700 --> 00:11:13.840 No, 13 years. 00:11:14.379 --> 00:11:15.960 And He's provided for us. 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:16.899 He took care of everything. 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:19.019 He knows what we need. 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:21.639 And so that's one of the things is trust in God, right? 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:27.580 And I remember in that time, we had some moments where we were going through a trial. 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:29.560 We were having a tough time. 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:34.320 And whenever we turned to the Lord and prayed together, we felt peace. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:36.100 The peace of God guarded our hearts and minds. 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:37.060 And that's another thing. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:39.899 He talks about in verse 7. 00:11:41.980 --> 00:11:47.080 That the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:51.420 You see, as Christians, the devil hates us, right? 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:54.220 He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy from us. 00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:56.220 He's shooting his fiery darts at us. 00:11:56.759 --> 00:12:00.920 And sometimes when we're afraid and when we're not trusting the Lord, some of those darts land. 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:02.160 And we believe some of those lies. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:05.420 And we can't believe those lies, right? 00:12:05.419 --> 00:12:06.659 We have to turn to the Lord. 00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:10.419 And we have to be like soldiers being like, okay, I'm in a battle right now. 00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:11.839 I'm not going to believe this lie. 00:12:12.479 --> 00:12:13.599 I'm going to turn to the Lord. 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:14.339 And I'm going to fight. 00:12:14.340 --> 00:12:20.560 You know, we have this book of answered prayers that we've put together over the years. 00:12:20.660 --> 00:12:22.100 We just write in the things we're praying for. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.399 And then we go back and fill in how the Lord answered those prayers. 00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:29.480 And it's been really sweet to see the Lord's faithfulness when you go through and look at that. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.560 And it actually builds our faith. 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:34.300 We're going to look back and say, Lord, you are faithful in that situation. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.320 This situation didn't seem really good at the time. 00:12:36.680 --> 00:12:37.860 And look how you answered that prayer. 00:12:37.860 --> 00:12:42.279 And sometimes he didn't answer the prayer how he thought, but it was so much better than what we were praying for. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:47.240 And so I would encourage you guys, if you don't have a prayer journal or something like that, journal it in. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:50.440 Put in your prayer request if you have the Lord, and then go back. 00:12:50.940 --> 00:12:56.000 And just read through and even fill it in to see how the Lord has answered your prayers and how faithful he's been. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:01.200 But that actually grows our faithfulness, our trust in the faithfulness of him. 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:08.740 And so Christian contentment is grounded in knowing and trusting Jesus. 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:10.740 We all know that. 00:13:10.940 --> 00:13:13.899 We all know that Christian contentment is in trusting in God. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:16.919 That's something that we know in our heads as Christians. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:18.399 But do we believe it? 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:21.919 Do we believe it that the Lord knows best? 00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:24.519 Do we believe that God is near? 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:34.600 Do we believe in the moment when we're facing a trial that our loving Father is near and wants to take care of us and will take care of us and loves us better than anyone? 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.779 And will take care of us better than we can take care of ourselves. 00:13:38.740 --> 00:13:39.819 So do you trust him? 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:40.840 That's my question. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:46.559 And my question this morning that I want us to examine our hearts in is do we trust him when finances aren't going well? 00:13:47.699 --> 00:13:49.759 Do we trust him when our job isn't going well? 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:52.100 When parenting is not going well? 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:55.740 When we're sick or spouse is sick? 00:13:55.860 --> 00:13:57.540 Do we trust him in life and in death? 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:00.000 Do we trust him in relationships? 00:14:00.779 --> 00:14:02.639 Do we trust him in our church? 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:07.300 These are things that we actually need to turn our hearts in. 00:14:07.560 --> 00:14:10.639 If there's something that we're not trusting in him, my prayer is that we would repent. 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:12.560 And we would say, Lord, I'm sorry. 00:14:13.420 --> 00:14:14.899 God, please forgive me. 00:14:14.899 --> 00:14:16.519 I want to trust you. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:17.779 Please increase my faith. 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:18.939 Help me with my unbelief. 00:14:18.940 --> 00:14:26.360 So being content is trusting God's providence for your life in the good times and the bad times. 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:39.139 So have you ever noticed that when you're doing well with the Lord, you're spending a lot of time focused on him and on the word and prayer, you're basically training yourself up like a soldier for righteousness. 00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:43.080 That when a trial comes, you're able to know. 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:43.840 I trust the Lord. 00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:44.879 I'm not going to believe this lie. 00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:46.399 I'm not going to react in frustration. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:48.539 I trust God in this. 00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:49.500 Or when it's a big trial. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:56.679 And I think a lot of times I was praying for our church and I was realizing a lot of times when a big trial comes, we're aware. 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:58.519 We're aware like, oh, this is really bad. 00:14:59.179 --> 00:14:59.819 I need prayer. 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:01.679 You reach out to the church. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:02.559 We need prayer in this. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:10.279 But one thing that I wanted to challenge us on is it's a little stuff sometimes that we try to do it on our own. 00:15:10.859 --> 00:15:15.699 It's a little things where we think I've got this and those things can add up. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:16.899 And they're actually wise. 00:15:17.579 --> 00:15:17.759 Right. 00:15:17.839 --> 00:15:20.759 It's a little things where we we trust in Jesus. 00:15:20.979 --> 00:15:21.779 We trust in the Lord. 00:15:22.079 --> 00:15:24.799 But then I can kind of control this over here. 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:26.859 I can kind of control my finances over here. 00:15:27.079 --> 00:15:28.519 I can control my schedule. 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:30.059 I can control my kids bedtime. 00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:33.199 I can control this or that. 00:15:33.379 --> 00:15:36.479 I can control my kids obedience or disobedience. 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:40.459 The reality is we can't control everything. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:42.099 The Lord is the one that's in control. 00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:43.399 And we have to submit those things. 00:15:43.899 --> 00:15:46.359 And that's part of actually contentment is resting. 00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:48.099 Resting the Lord. 00:15:48.239 --> 00:15:50.239 Cease striving and know that he is God. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:57.079 And that's when we can find true godly rest and peace is when we actually trust the Lord is at hand. 00:15:57.080 --> 00:16:00.420 And trust that he can do better than we can do in these things. 00:16:01.160 --> 00:16:01.320 Right. 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:05.280 And I think some of us actually need to repent of actually self-reliance. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:07.639 Of trying to do it too much on our own. 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:12.580 Trying to try to make our own schedule instead of submitting our schedules to the Lord. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:16.540 And some of us maybe need to submit our time fully to the Lord. 00:16:16.900 --> 00:16:18.139 Say, Lord, whatever you want. 00:16:18.220 --> 00:16:18.820 God, it's yours. 00:16:18.900 --> 00:16:19.700 My life is yours. 00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:23.460 And so here's some other things I wrote down. 00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:28.759 Contempted contentment is trusting the Lord when we're tempted to be fearful. 00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:30.720 Lean on our understanding. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:34.800 Wives, do you trust your husbands to lead you? 00:16:35.280 --> 00:16:37.360 Not because they're doing the best job. 00:16:37.780 --> 00:16:41.280 Not because they're perfect, but because you trust the Lord and his ways. 00:16:42.560 --> 00:16:46.220 Husbands, do you trust the Lord's provision for your life and providing for your family? 00:16:46.220 --> 00:16:50.759 Not because you have enough money, but because you trust the Lord. 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:55.420 And single people, do you trust the Lord's plans that he has for your life? 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:57.920 That he's cared for you and has good plans for you? 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:01.779 Do you trust that the Lord has your best interests? 00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:04.440 Do you trust he knows better of what you need than what you want? 00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:09.640 So I think sometimes we have all these ambitions and we're just not resting. 00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:17.560 And so we should have no greater comfort than resting and knowing that we belong to the Lord and we're safe in a sovereign hand. 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.020 I'm going to read a book from Jeremiah Burroughs. 00:17:21.080 --> 00:17:23.680 It's from the book The Ritual of Christian Contentment. 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:29.640 Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:35.700 which freely submits to a delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition. 00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:49.539 I thought of Psalm 91, 1 through 4. 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:50.460 I'm going to read that. 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:57.960 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 00:17:58.860 --> 00:18:03.180 I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust, 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:07.799 for he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 00:18:08.340 --> 00:18:12.200 He will cover you with his pinions and under his wings you will find refuge. 00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:14.440 His faithfulness is a shield and a buckler. 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:16.259 Now it's good. 00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:23.460 Christian contentment is resting and knowing that nothing that happens to you is outside of God's sovereign hand. 00:18:23.539 --> 00:18:29.259 It had passed through his wing and he allowed it to happen because he knows that it's good for you, 00:18:29.580 --> 00:18:30.940 even if it's really bad. 00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.820 He knows it's good for us. 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:34.720 And so it's resting in that. 00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:40.920 We have to prepare our hearts to rest in any trial that God knows what's best for us. 00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:42.880 And sometimes we think that we know better. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:46.920 We don't say it, but sometimes by our reactions we think we know it's best for our lives. 00:18:47.600 --> 00:18:49.860 So we have to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. 00:18:50.620 --> 00:18:54.040 We have to continually train ourselves up to turn to the Lord. 00:18:55.520 --> 00:18:57.160 The next talk about some warnings. 00:18:57.160 --> 00:19:11.779 So one of the warnings that I thought about was comparison. 00:19:12.340 --> 00:19:15.560 These are some of the lies of the enemy that he wants us to believe, 00:19:15.620 --> 00:19:16.660 or sometimes it's our own flesh. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.860 We're comparing ourselves to others. 00:19:18.540 --> 00:19:19.779 Oh, they have this better than me. 00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:21.319 They're greater than me. 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:23.920 They're better at this than me. 00:19:24.399 --> 00:19:25.779 And that just causes discontentment. 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:27.720 Coveting. 00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:29.220 Coveting what someone else has. 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:31.680 If I have what they had, that'd be better. 00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:34.700 But we need to realize that coveting is sin. 00:19:35.879 --> 00:19:39.700 Coveting can cause people to be angry and jealous of people who didn't sin against them. 00:19:40.360 --> 00:19:42.920 It can reveal there's a chip on your shoulder. 00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:47.600 That's something that you need to actually potentially repent from and have freedom from. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:49.380 It's the opposite of thankfulness. 00:19:50.120 --> 00:19:53.920 What thankfulness is, is you're actually thankful for the Lord's faithfulness, 00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:55.080 the sovereign hand over your life. 00:19:55.259 --> 00:20:00.840 Coveting is wanting this over there and thinking my life situation isn't quite as good as it should be. 00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:06.139 And a lot of times this happens without us even realizing it. 00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:07.079 It's little stuff. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:11.980 And what we have to do is we have to have an alertness in our minds like a soldier does on the battlefield 00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:13.980 to realize, you know what? 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:15.539 Actually, I'm sinning right now. 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:16.599 I'm coveting. 00:20:16.679 --> 00:20:17.539 I'm being unthankful. 00:20:17.659 --> 00:20:20.339 I'm wishing my kids were like their kids. 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:23.359 I wish my spouse was like their spouse. 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.119 I wish my job was like their job. 00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:27.419 Instead of being thankful, saying, Lord, thank you. 00:20:27.619 --> 00:20:29.639 Thank you for providing for me. 00:20:29.859 --> 00:20:30.419 Praise God. 00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:32.359 And for providing for them. 00:20:33.019 --> 00:20:33.159 Right? 00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:34.959 It's one of the schemes of the enemy. 00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:40.659 It's one of the lies that actually causes us to believe that God is not taking care of us right now 00:20:40.659 --> 00:20:42.519 the best way that he can. 00:20:43.399 --> 00:20:45.059 And so don't feed your discontentment. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:49.339 Whenever we're thinking inward and we're thinking about ourselves, that selfishness, 00:20:49.439 --> 00:20:52.919 that inward thought and behavior, it actually feeds our discontentment. 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:58.799 And some of those habits can be internet, scrolling, looking on our phones, social media, 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:04.519 just online hobbies, anything that takes our eyes off of others in the Lord. 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:06.619 Those are things that feed our discontentment. 00:21:07.419 --> 00:21:09.799 And these are little traps that can happen. 00:21:09.919 --> 00:21:12.859 You know, we live in a day and age where this is so common. 00:21:12.859 --> 00:21:20.539 You know, I was thinking about it the other day and just realizing I didn't get my first smartphone until I was in my 30s. 00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:26.979 And once we did, like, I found myself just looking up news articles, looking up different things, 00:21:27.379 --> 00:21:29.079 looking and buying stuff on Amazon. 00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:29.919 Right? 00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:35.019 These are things that aren't necessarily bad things, but it's a heart condition that we have to be aware of, 00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:41.500 that the Lord requires so much more of us than just sitting on our phones and scrolling through stuff. 00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:47.379 So it's something we have to train our minds up for to have an alertness to realize what's going on in this present age. 00:21:47.380 --> 00:21:54.680 The other thing is, some of these warnings, they're not necessarily bad things, right? 00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:58.260 But they can be bad things if our heart's not focused on the Lord. 00:21:58.620 --> 00:22:01.180 So having money in the bank is not necessarily a bad thing. 00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.480 It's good to provide for your family. 00:22:03.540 --> 00:22:04.400 Be in good shape. 00:22:04.780 --> 00:22:07.200 It's good to be healthy so that you can serve the Lord. 00:22:07.320 --> 00:22:07.480 Right? 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:11.520 If your heart is focused on the Lord in these things, then it's not a bad thing. 00:22:11.540 --> 00:22:12.080 It's a good thing. 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:15.860 It's what can we be doing to be more effective, right, for His kingdom. 00:22:15.859 --> 00:22:21.839 But if our hearts are selfish, right, if we're just thinking about, I want to look better, I want to have more comfort, 00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:28.859 I want to have more money in the bank so that I can, you know, just do whatever I want, that's actually selfishness. 00:22:29.699 --> 00:22:33.839 We have to be aware of, like, some of these things I'm talking about is really our heart posture before the Lord. 00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:35.579 But you know it when you're in it. 00:22:35.659 --> 00:22:42.539 You know it if you're in it because your heart is directed either towards yourself or is directed to the Lord in His ways. 00:22:45.859 --> 00:22:48.839 I'm going to read 1 Thessalonians 5.18. 00:22:49.779 --> 00:22:54.179 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 00:22:55.099 --> 00:22:57.319 So do we give thanks in all circumstances? 00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:58.939 No, we don't. 00:22:59.679 --> 00:23:02.219 You know, we have to realize this is God's will in Christ Jesus for you. 00:23:02.740 --> 00:23:09.019 And what it means is in the moment we have to have an alertness to turn our hearts towards thankfulness. 00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:13.240 You know, we're prone to wander in our hearts. 00:23:13.299 --> 00:23:16.099 There's so many things that can turn our hearts away from the Lord. 00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:17.160 There's so many distractions. 00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:21.139 There's so many things in life that can turn our hearts towards thankfulness. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.440 And we have to remember to give thanks. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:26.500 This is God's will for us in Christ Jesus because He knows what's best for us. 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:29.319 He knows how prone our hearts are to wander, right? 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:30.700 And we have to remember Him. 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:32.500 We have to remember what He's done for us. 00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:38.839 And when we're thankful in all circumstances, the reality is as Christians, we're rightly seeing God. 00:23:39.059 --> 00:23:40.480 And we're rightly believing the gospel. 00:23:41.160 --> 00:23:44.779 And that is the foundation for thankfulness, is remembering the gospel. 00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.579 That is our anchor. 00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:51.500 If we can remember the gospel in all things, we can be thankful in all things, right? 00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:54.099 When we remember that we sinned before a holy God, 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:59.759 when we remember that the just penalty for our sins was eternity in hell, 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:06.579 when we remember that God had mercy on us and sent Jesus to die on the cross for us to take our punishment. 00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:10.180 And because of that, that we get to have eternity with Him. 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:14.539 That we are a son and a daughter of the living God that cares for us. 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:18.059 When we remember all this and that He's not only saving us for eternity, 00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:21.140 but He's actually saving us right now and keeping us. 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.559 That He loves us. 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:23.640 That He is near. 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:25.619 That He is caring for us better than anyone. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:28.579 That the God of the universe is for us. 00:24:28.579 --> 00:24:30.539 That's how can we not be thankful? 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:36.419 How can we be frustrated in a situation, in a circumstance, when we're remembering the gospel? 00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:39.419 And that's what we have to continually do. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:44.759 We have to know that God made us, that He's for us, and that He knows us. 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:46.879 Do you believe that? 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:48.480 Do you believe that this morning? 00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:49.679 Do you believe that God is for you? 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:53.299 Do you believe that He has your best interest? 00:24:54.380 --> 00:24:58.120 Do you believe that He's near and cares about your immediate needs? 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:01.980 So we have to train ourselves up to remember who God is. 00:25:02.060 --> 00:25:03.019 Remember these things. 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:05.279 And we have to remind each other of these things. 00:25:05.420 --> 00:25:10.539 That's important for us to do as Christians, is to spur each other on in these things. 00:25:10.620 --> 00:25:12.640 To remember, God's got you. 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:14.759 You know, He's got you. 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:15.140 Don't worry. 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.839 And I'm praying for you. 00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:21.559 The other thing to remember is life is a vapor. 00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:22.460 Right? 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.400 Eternity is forever. 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:26.740 And it goes fast. 00:25:27.579 --> 00:25:28.799 It goes really fast. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:34.379 And 2 Timothy 4a talks about there's a crown of righteousness for those who have loved His appearing. 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:37.639 And you know how we love His appearing? 00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:41.259 It's when we're thinking about eternal things and we're not thinking about ourselves. 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:44.519 When we're thinking about Jesus is coming back. 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:45.460 Right? 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:47.599 He's going to make all things right. 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:53.359 When one day all this sin that's in this world, all the things that we see that's going on, 00:25:53.359 --> 00:26:01.339 the abortions, human trafficking, murders, abuse of kids, when we see all this stuff that breaks our hearts, 00:26:01.879 --> 00:26:04.039 we know that Jesus is going to come back and make all things right. 00:26:04.859 --> 00:26:05.039 Right? 00:26:05.159 --> 00:26:06.639 And there will be no more sin in this world. 00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:08.479 Sin's not going to be in our bodies anymore. 00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:11.139 And then we're going to have a glorified body with Him. 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:12.479 Right? 00:26:12.479 --> 00:26:17.279 When we think about sickness and health, all that stuff is going to be conquered when Jesus comes back. 00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:19.179 How can we not look forward to His appearing? 00:26:19.180 --> 00:26:25.140 I think one of the distractions is we think too much on temporary things. 00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:29.799 We think about just day-to-day, what's going on in our week. 00:26:30.560 --> 00:26:30.960 Right? 00:26:31.060 --> 00:26:33.120 What's happening in our schedules. 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:36.100 What we need to get for this week or that. 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:37.000 Or what we want. 00:26:37.620 --> 00:26:38.779 Want to work on our truck. 00:26:38.860 --> 00:26:39.640 Want to do this. 00:26:40.320 --> 00:26:42.960 And all those things are not necessarily bad things. 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:45.580 But when they turn our gaze away from focusing on the eternal, 00:26:45.580 --> 00:26:48.519 we have to turn towards our eyes to the Lord. 00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:51.580 And that's what causes us to love His appearing. 00:26:52.140 --> 00:26:54.640 It's actually remembering that He's coming back. 00:26:55.160 --> 00:26:56.120 And it's going to happen. 00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.320 And it's going to happen real soon. 00:26:58.259 --> 00:27:01.039 I'm going to read another quote by Jeremiah Burroughs. 00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:06.680 A soldier is content unto a hardness, though he does not know that he shall have the victory. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:09.220 But a Christian knows himself to be a soldier, 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:12.960 and knows that he shall conquer and triumph of Jesus Christ in all eternity. 00:27:14.320 --> 00:27:15.420 You know, that's really good. 00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:16.019 I love that. 00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:17.700 You think about a soldier on the battlefield. 00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:20.500 He's prepared for hardness. 00:27:21.379 --> 00:27:21.519 Right? 00:27:21.619 --> 00:27:24.740 Like a guy in the battlefield is ready. 00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:25.859 He's been prepared for this. 00:27:25.940 --> 00:27:30.420 He's prepared to endure hardness and hardship because he's trained himself up for this. 00:27:30.460 --> 00:27:31.279 He's prepared for this. 00:27:31.339 --> 00:27:32.940 He knows this is going to be hard. 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:33.680 This is going to be tough. 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:45.840 And so when he's sitting in the foxhole, and he hasn't eaten in 72 hours, and it's cold, and it's wet, and people are shooting at him, and he's seeing hardness all around him, he's prepared for it. 00:27:46.080 --> 00:27:48.660 And he knows it's going to happen because he's a soldier. 00:27:49.340 --> 00:27:51.700 But he doesn't know that he's going to have the victory. 00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:54.940 But as Christians, we're soldiers. 00:27:56.500 --> 00:28:02.039 But the good news is we know that we're going to have the victory because Jesus Christ is going to try for all eternity. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.819 And so how much more should we be prepared for hardship? 00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:09.220 Because we know in the end, Christ is going to be victorious. 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:12.920 We know as soldiers we're going to win, and we're going to reign with him. 00:28:13.880 --> 00:28:19.259 So that's one of the things that I love at is because a lot of it depends on what we're prepared for. 00:28:20.100 --> 00:28:21.279 Are we prepared for this hardship? 00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:25.019 When it comes and we're prepared for it, we're like, yeah, this isn't great. 00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.300 But you know what? 00:28:26.560 --> 00:28:27.500 Jesus is still on the throne. 00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:28.759 It's going to be okay. 00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:34.700 My fourth point is pour out your lives to God and others. 00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:41.440 So because of what Christ has done for us, because of us being bought and belonging to him, 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.539 pour out your lives to others. 00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:49.440 Pour out your lives in service to the Lord, in service to his kingdom, to the church, to evangelizing, 00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:51.660 to using your gifts for building up. 00:28:52.440 --> 00:28:56.160 And realizing also that the Lord, he is so good. 00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:57.559 He knows what's best for us. 00:28:58.140 --> 00:29:02.420 Actually, service is a means of grace that the Lord uses to battle discontentment. 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:07.860 Have you guys ever found out whenever you're serving someone else, you're opening your home, 00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:13.779 you bring them a meal, you bless someone with a gift that they didn't expect and go through a hard time, 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:16.439 that your countenance is lifted. 00:29:16.939 --> 00:29:19.399 You feel super encouraged because you're not thinking about yourself. 00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:25.119 It's a means that the Lord uses within us to actually have his heart towards others, 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:29.319 being the body of Christ, loving others well, evangelizing. 00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:32.319 Have you ever noticed that when you're sharing the gospel with someone, 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:34.279 you're not thinking about your life circumstances, 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:39.879 you're actually really just praying for this person to know Jesus, to be saved. 00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:41.119 Your heart is focused on that. 00:29:41.179 --> 00:29:43.559 You want them to give their life to the Lord. 00:29:44.359 --> 00:29:47.980 It's actually one of the most enjoyable things that you can experience as a Christian 00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:51.819 is actually sharing the gospel with someone and see them come into Christ, 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:53.419 see them come from death to life. 00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:59.360 And it brings so much joy because we're actually not even thinking about ourselves, 00:29:59.460 --> 00:30:02.560 we're thinking about, well, I want this person to be saved, right? 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:04.620 It's turn your heart towards the Lord. 00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:06.820 Turn your heart to pour it out to what the Lord wants 00:30:06.820 --> 00:30:11.140 and have a burden for others to know Christ and to be known by him. 00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:15.740 You know, Paul's attention when he was writing this was not on himself. 00:30:16.120 --> 00:30:18.759 And that's how he was able to say in verses 11 and 12, 00:30:18.840 --> 00:30:21.180 I found a secret to being content in all circumstances. 00:30:21.580 --> 00:30:22.480 That's what he was doing. 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:23.860 He was evangelizing. 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:26.779 That's why his heart was not discontent. 00:30:26.860 --> 00:30:30.299 It's because he was pouring out his life for the sake of the kingdom. 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:34.299 And, you know, what happens to your heart when you're doing this? 00:30:34.860 --> 00:30:35.660 You have joy. 00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:40.539 You're not discontent because you're actually being filled by the Lord with joy 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:41.880 that surpasses all understanding. 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:45.019 I was thinking about this just the other day. 00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:48.779 You know, there's a time just recently, maybe a month or two ago, 00:30:49.299 --> 00:30:52.099 when some of us got to share the gospel for this young man 00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:54.619 who was getting ready to play soccer in another country. 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:57.939 Sam had shared the gospel with him at the community college. 00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:59.539 Then he texted and wanted to get together. 00:30:59.639 --> 00:31:02.859 So we went out to dinner, went to Buffalo Wild Wings, had wings with this guy. 00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:06.679 And we spent the whole evening just not only sharing the gospel with him, 00:31:06.719 --> 00:31:09.240 but walking through what it meant to follow Christ with your life, 00:31:09.799 --> 00:31:10.980 what it meant to be a Christian, 00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:14.980 and how you turn away from sin now, that your life is not your own, 00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:16.460 and your life belongs to Jesus. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:20.759 And in that moment where we were just kind of each taking turns 00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:23.660 and sharing about Jesus with this person, what it means to be a Christian, 00:31:24.279 --> 00:31:26.779 we were filled by the Spirit with so much joy. 00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:30.779 And I remember just driving back and actually just feeling so encouraged 00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:32.339 and so close to these brothers. 00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:36.460 There's something that happens when you're doing this with other Christians 00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:39.019 where you're closer together now. 00:31:39.340 --> 00:31:41.420 Because you've done something eternal, right? 00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:45.759 You've now taken something more than just hanging out 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:48.779 and fought for something together that has eternal value. 00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:51.120 And that's what we should be doing as a church. 00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:55.279 We should be hanging out, loving each other, and on mission. 00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:56.700 On mission to the lost. 00:31:56.740 --> 00:32:00.680 Because that is what the Lord is going to use to bring us closer 00:32:00.680 --> 00:32:02.200 and actually bring people into his kingdom. 00:32:02.900 --> 00:32:04.640 So encourage one another in the Lord. 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:06.940 Look for opportunities. Pray for opportunities. 00:32:07.100 --> 00:32:09.860 Have your eyes up on people that need to hear the gospel. 00:32:11.300 --> 00:32:14.680 So I'm going to summarize with four points. 00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:18.900 Number one, see Jesus rightly. Look to Christ. 00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:22.560 Contentment is trusting God, setting your thoughts on him. 00:32:23.220 --> 00:32:25.220 Rejoice in knowing that he is your shepherd, 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:27.380 and trust in his provision for your life. 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:30.860 Number two, don't believe lies. 00:32:31.860 --> 00:32:34.160 Trust that God has your best interests in mind 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:35.380 and knows what's best for your life. 00:32:36.540 --> 00:32:37.680 And rejoice always. 00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:39.200 Pray without ceasing. 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:40.779 Give thanks in all circumstances. 00:32:41.400 --> 00:32:43.380 For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:45.700 1 Thessalonians 5, 16, and 18. 00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:48.100 Number three, remember the gospel. 00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:50.940 Remember Christ and what you've been saved from 00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:52.600 and what you've been saved for. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:55.120 Remembering why we're on this life. 00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:58.759 As Christians, we're not on this planet to live for ourselves. 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:01.259 We're on this planet to live for Jesus. 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:05.160 And so remember, as a Christian soldier, and that's what we are, 00:33:06.019 --> 00:33:07.740 you will be with God in glory for all eternity. 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:09.879 That's the end. 00:33:10.180 --> 00:33:12.420 That's what we have to look forward to, and that's forever. 00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:16.579 Number four, forget about yourself and seek first God's kingdom. 00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:19.279 Pour out your life in service to the Lord. 00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.740 Open your homes. 00:33:21.379 --> 00:33:22.140 Open your schedule. 00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:24.140 Preach the gospel to unbelievers. 00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:29.480 Be generous with your time, with your money, your resources, your kids' bedtimes. 00:33:30.280 --> 00:33:33.180 Enjoy the Lord in serving together as a family. 00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:35.440 And I was thinking about it actually this morning. 00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:42.360 I can't remember how many sweet conversations and meaningful conversations we've had with people over the years 00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:44.500 that were after 11 p.m. on our couch. 00:33:44.660 --> 00:33:46.340 It was, I can't count how many. 00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:49.400 And I'm not saying you have to do this every time, 00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:55.640 but there's many conversations where the Lord really blessed our time with people speaking into things 00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:57.759 and encouraging one another when it was after midnight. 00:33:58.460 --> 00:34:00.160 And we knew we had to get up the next morning. 00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:01.900 They knew they had to get up early the next morning. 00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:05.720 But it's being willing to be a vessel for those things. 00:34:06.540 --> 00:34:10.500 And I would say it's good to be aware of these things. 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:13.660 You don't have to program it in where you have to stay up to 1 a.m. 00:34:13.660 --> 00:34:15.160 talking on the couch and praying together. 00:34:15.579 --> 00:34:17.220 I'm not saying do that all the time. 00:34:17.219 --> 00:34:19.719 But what I'm saying is be open to it, right? 00:34:19.799 --> 00:34:20.319 You'll know. 00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:20.919 You'll know. 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:22.980 And seek those opportunities. 00:34:23.739 --> 00:34:25.579 Don't be so closed off with your schedule. 00:34:26.379 --> 00:34:28.779 But the Lord is going to work, right? 00:34:28.859 --> 00:34:32.819 And so even in those moments when people are over, you can feel it. 00:34:32.899 --> 00:34:34.159 You can say, is there anything you want to talk about? 00:34:34.799 --> 00:34:38.399 And a lot of times you can see people kind of waiting a little bit to go home 00:34:38.399 --> 00:34:40.799 and be willing to have those moments together 00:34:40.799 --> 00:34:43.599 where you're hearing what's going on in each other's lives. 00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:47.440 And those are the moments, honestly, where I look back and I have the most affection. 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:53.000 The Lord has built the most meaningful Christian friendships in our lives for many and I 00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:54.900 for those moments that were after midnight 00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:58.960 where we were just enjoying fellowshiping with people, 00:34:59.219 --> 00:35:01.179 talking about really important things. 00:35:01.319 --> 00:35:04.900 So I'll say we want what the Lord has for us. 00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:08.319 So don't limit yourself to it just because of sleep. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:14.100 I'm going to close with this verse, Colossians 3, 1 through 2. 00:35:15.100 --> 00:35:18.140 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. 00:35:18.600 --> 00:35:20.940 For Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 00:35:21.680 --> 00:35:25.160 Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. 00:35:25.559 --> 00:35:28.200 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ and God. 00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:32.640 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:33.820 Amen. 00:35:33.820 --> 00:35:33.980 Amen.