Sermon Central
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Godliness With Contentment Is Great Gain
Contributed by Phillip Self on May 30, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: We know that most of us in today's society have or have had a lack of contentment. It seems that mankind starves to have more , more, and more even after the fact that God says enough is enough. When you are content you are satisfied.
A. Godliness with Contentment. What is Godliness? Godliness is "doing what is pleasing" to God.
1. It seem that you cant have the one without the other.
2. Doing what is pleasing to God will bring great contentment in your life.
3. “If we displease God, does it matter whom we please? If we please Him does it matter whom we displease?”
? Leonard Ravenhill,
B. What is biblical contentment ?
1. 1 Tim 6: 8 Paul Teaches that Biblical contentment shows us that there should be complete satisfaction in our lives even if all we have are the necessities such as food and clothes.
2. Paul taught in Philippians 4:11 that no matter what circumstances that come about in his life that he was still at peace and content with the state that he was in.
[Phl 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
[2Co 11:24-27 Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
3. One dictionary defines contentment as “the state of being mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are.” Today it is rare that we find anyone who is truly content with his or her condition in life.
A. WHAT CONTENTMENT IS NOT“
1. Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.”
C. Mankind has a tendency to run to everything but God to try and bring contentment in there lives.
1. Worldly Possessions- Our contentment should not rest in material possessions but instead it should abide in Gods peace, Hope And love.
2. The Love For Money-
3. Theres nothing wrong with having wealth and riches it is just that you should be content with what God has given to you. [Ecc 5:18-19 Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this [is] the gift of God.
illustration: Father Teaches His Son a Lesson on True Contentment
The story is told of a father of a wealthy family who took his son on a trip to the country to show his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from the trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, and they have stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard, and they have the whole horizon.
"We have a small piece of land to live on, and they have fields that go beyond sight. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, but they have their friends to protect them."
With this, the boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."
Conclution : [Heb 13:5 [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
