"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
This is a passage I have read so many times over the last few years. I've studied it, preached it, but how do I apply it? Paul is saying that in all things he has Christ. That he is content in all circumstances because he has Christ. In Romans 8 Paul says that nothing can separate him, or us, from the love of God in Christ. No matter what we go through, we will always have the love of Christ, that nothing can separate us from.
Verse 13 is probably the most misquoted verse of Scripture. People use it to mean just about everything but what it really means. The idea Paul is talking about her is enduring anything. Paul says I can endure anything that life brings because Christ is with him, Christ is strengthening him. No matter what life brings there is nothing the Christ cannot and will not carry him through. Because of Christ we can endure, survive, and ultimately victoriously conquer every situation.
My wife has told me many times that I need to learn to be content. Part of my problem is that there is so much I want to do for God, there is so much that I want to do to build the Kingdom and help people. Life is short, I'm already a quarter of a century old, and can't believe that so much time has passed. Many times I feel like I have done nothing that matters. Part of me feels stuck. But then I must remember the different things that my mentor has told me. That God places us in different places for different reasons, and the reason for us being here might not be the reason we think.
But the important thing is realizing that no matter where we are in life is that we always have Christ. Nothing can take Christ away from us, and because of that we can endure every situation we face. Christ is the one who strengthens us, and there is nothing that Christ cannot handle.
Peace be with you
Showing posts with label Contentment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contentment. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, November 21, 2011
Blessed to be a Blessing
Last night I had a rare opportunity as a Protestant minister to speak at a Catholic church for a community Thanksgiving service. Here I want to share some of the thoughts I gave last night.
As 2011 ends and we prepare to enter 2012 we, in America, must brace ourselves for the barrage of political campaigning that will take place. As in every American campaign there will be a phrase that we hear a lot because it has become politically correct to say, "God bless America." As I look around I can honestly say that God has blessed America. We enjoy many freedoms that other nations don't, as well as one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. God has blessed America. The question we need to ask is not how can God bless us more, but how can we be a blessing to others.
In the Bible when God blessed someone the intention was that they in turn would be a blessing to others. Genesis 12.1-3, "Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” I will bless you and you shall be a blessing. In you all the families of the earth will be blessed. That is how God works, through people.
We are blessed to be a blessing. The problem is that humans are selfish by nature. Some of our first words are "No!" and "Mine!" It is our tendency to take things that we are given and hoard them for ourselves, that's human nature. But Christian nature is selfless. It is the nature of a Christ follower to be generous and to bless others.
The secret to generosity is contentment. If we learn to be content, we will have no problem with giving things away. Paul tells us the secret of contentment in Philippians 4.11-13, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
The word Paul uses for contentment is autarkeia and the Greco-Roman audience he wrote to would have understood that word as being entirely self-sufficient. There was a philosophy known as Stoicism, and self-sufficiency was their highest goal. They believed that the will of God could not be stopped, and sometimes His will involved loss of possessions or the death of a loved one, both of these caused pain. TO avoid this pain of loss the Stoics tried to remove desire and emotion from their lives, they tried to be dependant upon nothing and no one. But this existence is one without relationships and love, so it ends up being lonely and in some ways just as painful.
Paul says to his audience that he has attained their highest goal; he has become content in all things. The stoics believe that this was a human achievement attained by self-discipline. Paul says to them, it isn't through anything I have done, it is a divine gift. Christ is the one who gives me strength to endure any circumstances I face. Paul knew that the only thing that mattered was Christ, and that nothing would ever be able to separate him from Christ. Because he had Christ and would always have Christ, Paul was content.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, let us reflect on all of the ways we have been blessed. As we gather with family, or remember family who are no longer with us, let us find strength in the presence of Christ that is available to us. As we prepare to celebrate the Christmas season, let us look for ways to be a blessing to others. We have been richly blessed, let us be a blessing to others.
May Thanksgiving be the Ash Wednesday of Advent. May Advent be to Christmas what Lent is to Easter, a time of preparation and reflection, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. His presence is the greatest blessing we have been given. Let us take it and bless others.
Do you know how a life of being content and blessing others ends? Genesis 25.8, "Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people." Abraham was blessed by God and a blessing to others. He died satisfied with life. 2 Timothy 4.7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." Paul was content with the presence of Christ in his life. He knew that he would stand in the very presence of Christ and receive the crown of righteousness.
Their ending can be yours as well. You can die satisfied with life. You can face death with the same words as Paul. Embrace the person of Jesus Christ. We have been greatly blessed, let us be a blessing.
Peace be with you
As 2011 ends and we prepare to enter 2012 we, in America, must brace ourselves for the barrage of political campaigning that will take place. As in every American campaign there will be a phrase that we hear a lot because it has become politically correct to say, "God bless America." As I look around I can honestly say that God has blessed America. We enjoy many freedoms that other nations don't, as well as one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. God has blessed America. The question we need to ask is not how can God bless us more, but how can we be a blessing to others.
In the Bible when God blessed someone the intention was that they in turn would be a blessing to others. Genesis 12.1-3, "Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” I will bless you and you shall be a blessing. In you all the families of the earth will be blessed. That is how God works, through people.
We are blessed to be a blessing. The problem is that humans are selfish by nature. Some of our first words are "No!" and "Mine!" It is our tendency to take things that we are given and hoard them for ourselves, that's human nature. But Christian nature is selfless. It is the nature of a Christ follower to be generous and to bless others.
The secret to generosity is contentment. If we learn to be content, we will have no problem with giving things away. Paul tells us the secret of contentment in Philippians 4.11-13, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
The word Paul uses for contentment is autarkeia and the Greco-Roman audience he wrote to would have understood that word as being entirely self-sufficient. There was a philosophy known as Stoicism, and self-sufficiency was their highest goal. They believed that the will of God could not be stopped, and sometimes His will involved loss of possessions or the death of a loved one, both of these caused pain. TO avoid this pain of loss the Stoics tried to remove desire and emotion from their lives, they tried to be dependant upon nothing and no one. But this existence is one without relationships and love, so it ends up being lonely and in some ways just as painful.
Paul says to his audience that he has attained their highest goal; he has become content in all things. The stoics believe that this was a human achievement attained by self-discipline. Paul says to them, it isn't through anything I have done, it is a divine gift. Christ is the one who gives me strength to endure any circumstances I face. Paul knew that the only thing that mattered was Christ, and that nothing would ever be able to separate him from Christ. Because he had Christ and would always have Christ, Paul was content.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, let us reflect on all of the ways we have been blessed. As we gather with family, or remember family who are no longer with us, let us find strength in the presence of Christ that is available to us. As we prepare to celebrate the Christmas season, let us look for ways to be a blessing to others. We have been richly blessed, let us be a blessing to others.
May Thanksgiving be the Ash Wednesday of Advent. May Advent be to Christmas what Lent is to Easter, a time of preparation and reflection, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. His presence is the greatest blessing we have been given. Let us take it and bless others.
Do you know how a life of being content and blessing others ends? Genesis 25.8, "Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people." Abraham was blessed by God and a blessing to others. He died satisfied with life. 2 Timothy 4.7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." Paul was content with the presence of Christ in his life. He knew that he would stand in the very presence of Christ and receive the crown of righteousness.
Their ending can be yours as well. You can die satisfied with life. You can face death with the same words as Paul. Embrace the person of Jesus Christ. We have been greatly blessed, let us be a blessing.
Peace be with you
Friday, June 3, 2011
Contentment
Yesterday was day 24 in 1 Timothy. I've revised it a little so really it was day 30, I forgot to include my initial overview reading. The section I studied was 1 Timothy 6.6-8, "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." Again, I must share what I found in William Barclay's insights.
What is contentment according to the Bible? The Greek word is autarkeia (ow-tar-kia). This word is free of all outward things. It is free of possessions. It is the secret of happiness within itself. Contentment never comes from the things we own, the junk we acquire, but from the attitude we live with.
Possessions don't have the power to make us happy. There is nothing I own that cheers me up when I've had a rough day. But do you know what does? Time with Janette. Time with one of my brothers. Time with people I love. The key to happiness is in relationships.
Happiness comes from friendship and love. These things come from people, not stuff. It comes from things that last. Our focus needs to be on things that are permanent.
Barclay says that there are only two things we can take before God, ourselves, and the relationship we have with Him. That relationship with God that Jesus Christ made possible through His death and resurrection, is the greatest of all the personal relationships we could have. Again, thank you Mr. Barclay for your insights.
Contentment lies in knowing that I am loved by God. It comes from knowing that nothing can separate me from His love, Romans 8.38-39. It comes from realizing that the God who spoke creation into existence knows my name, and not only knows my name, but He desires a personal relationship with me (Galatians 4.9, John 3.16-17). That is a big deal.
Why would I not be content in that? Why do I let temporary things get in the way? Why do I focus on things that don't matter at all?
May all of us find true contentment and happiness in the permanent things of life. May our time be invested into relationships that will last a lifetime. May our lives be spent in relationship with the One who designed relationships and made the ultimate relationship possible.
Peace be with you
What is contentment according to the Bible? The Greek word is autarkeia (ow-tar-kia). This word is free of all outward things. It is free of possessions. It is the secret of happiness within itself. Contentment never comes from the things we own, the junk we acquire, but from the attitude we live with.
Possessions don't have the power to make us happy. There is nothing I own that cheers me up when I've had a rough day. But do you know what does? Time with Janette. Time with one of my brothers. Time with people I love. The key to happiness is in relationships.
Happiness comes from friendship and love. These things come from people, not stuff. It comes from things that last. Our focus needs to be on things that are permanent.
Barclay says that there are only two things we can take before God, ourselves, and the relationship we have with Him. That relationship with God that Jesus Christ made possible through His death and resurrection, is the greatest of all the personal relationships we could have. Again, thank you Mr. Barclay for your insights.
Contentment lies in knowing that I am loved by God. It comes from knowing that nothing can separate me from His love, Romans 8.38-39. It comes from realizing that the God who spoke creation into existence knows my name, and not only knows my name, but He desires a personal relationship with me (Galatians 4.9, John 3.16-17). That is a big deal.
Why would I not be content in that? Why do I let temporary things get in the way? Why do I focus on things that don't matter at all?
May all of us find true contentment and happiness in the permanent things of life. May our time be invested into relationships that will last a lifetime. May our lives be spent in relationship with the One who designed relationships and made the ultimate relationship possible.
Peace be with you
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