There Is So Much More!

2020.07.12.Sermon.There is So Much More.

William Akehurst, HSWC

Philippians 4:13

John 16:12-15

Psalm 118:23

Contentment or Complacency. Which are you?

To be content is to be happy with one’s situation or condition.

Being content means being happy. Being complacent means refusing to work to improve. It Being content means that you are not unhappy with your situation, yet you continue to work hard to improve, which is to say not becoming complacent.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through CHRIST which strengthens me.”

Paul is content in CHRIST, but he’s not complacent, he understands where his joy comes from, and his contentment, but he also knows he can’t sit still, he must “do all things” with the understanding that “CHRIST gives him the strength and ability”.

Contentment is not complacency. It is not an excuse to be lazy. In fact Paul writes specifically that there are many actions for the Christian to take. Often we read “go“, “be“, “work“, and “do.“ “I can DO all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

The Christian life is an active one, working to be like Christ and to serve God and others. What Paul says is contentment is working really hard and being satisfied in the results of what the outcome is. He says that we can’t be satisfied and still have joy in those things because we know who we are in Christ.

So, Are you content or complacent? Are you working hard in life, in a relationship, financially, spiritually, at your job, or in your community? Are you able to be content regardless of the outcome of those things?

While we can be content in CHRIST, we must not become complacent. Don’t be satisfied with what you know to the extent that you become stagnant, and moreso, don’t be satisfied in what you do not know.

Jesus said, there is so much more, and we as spirit filled believers should seek this out…more.

REOPENING BEACHMONT BGEA PHONE CENTER

Last night we reopened our BGEA Phone Center at Beachmont for the 1st time since March, and ran the center simultaneously with the Forest Hill Upper Room.

As we started the evening, I had determined to share in communion with everyone who came. However, calls began as soon as we started, so we shared in communion throughout the telecast, not by design, but as it so happened (in other words, it took us 75 minutes to finish communion – But that’s the point isn’t it? We were in communion with HIM and one another the entire time!). Here’s the account of last night at Beachmont and what we learned in the experience.

LESSONS LEARNED

Communion. As we started to take the elements of the bread and juice, the LORD placed in my heart the thought that our desire should be to want to know more, receive more, apply more, expect more, pursue more of JESUS. And understand that it all comes through HIS HOLY GHOST SPIRIT Presence in us.

JESUS said in John 16:12-15 KJV (read the rest of the chapter too)

12 I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (There’s so much more that I have in store for you)

13 However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore, said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

John 16:12-15 NLT

12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now.

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

CHRIST’s words rang out in my mind, “There’s so much more!” and we can’t receive it all at once, but it is the SPIRIT that shows us bit by bit if we would just continue in our pursuit of CHRIST. HE wants not only our mind, our intellect to know HIM. But also our body to follow after HIM, and furthermore our spirit to align with HOLY SPIRIT to know HIM more!

“Follow me”, HE said. How about ‘Pursue HIM’, run after HIM…don’t you want to know and experience more of HIM? I sure do.