The Doctrine of Contentment

 

Introduction:

Content: Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness

 

(The Word-Faith Heresy)

 

  • Moses went from dining with royalty to suffering among slaves.
  • Daniel went from the king’s chief counsel to staring down a den of lions.
  • Jeremiah prophesied with a yoke about his neck, and then in a pit, and at last just weeping in the streets and it is from his pen, that comes the saying, “The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:24)
  • What are you going to do when you go through a Garden of Gethsemane experience?
  • Saul went from a life of esteem and privilege and respect and honour, to the bondage of chains, with stripes upon his back, in a dank Roman prison.

 

Philippians 4:11-13

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

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.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

The Proof of our discontentment:

  • High rates of divorce (same as the world, about 50%)
  • High rates of debt (70% of families living paycheck to paycheck, 38,000 avg debt per family)
  • High rates of depression
  • High rates of dereliction

 

1. The Enemies of Contentment

  • Carefulness (Phil 4:5-7)
  • Covetousness (Heb 13:5)
  • Worldliness (1 Tim 6:6-9, Isa 48:22)

(The righteous)They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Psalms 37:19

 

2. The Danger of Discontentment

a)      Discontentment will cause you to cease from bearing fruit…

 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19)

 

b)      Discontentment will cause you to sow in the wrong places…

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. (Psalms 65:4)

Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:20)

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)

 

3. The Key to Contentment

I hate to sound trite, but this is what everything that is pure and holy comes down to. I could speculate at steps to contentment, we may attempt to locate purpose for our lives in five steps, or deliverance from our demons in twelve steps, but the contentment which our souls long for is not found in a method or a process; it’s not found in wise counsel, or prescription drugs; it’s not found in possessions or prestige. It is so much deeper and yet simpler than any of that. True Biblical contentment is found in a person.

 

Genesis 15:1

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

 

Psalms 23:1

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 

(Illustration: Lady with legs in braces, scraping gum from bottom of pews)

 

John 4:14

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

John 6:35

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

 

Jeremiah 31:10-14

Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.

Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

 

Psalms 119:57

Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

 

 

  • When you need someone who will never leave you nor forsake you and in whom their very presence is contained all your satisfaction, it ca be found in no place, save I am that I am.
  • If your soul longs for something fulfilling who else can we call upon but him in which dwelleth fullness of the Godhead bodily
  • When you need the assurance of someone who knows the end from the beginning only the Alpha and Omega will do.
  • If you just need something that you’ve never been able to put your finger on there is no other place to look than to Him that filleth all in all

 

(Illustration: Miss Joyce, I’d Rather Have Jesus)