Hebrews
13:5-6
Learning to be content requires understanding three
major principles:
I. Principle No. 1: Definite Separation
(Hebrews 13:5a)
"Let your conduct be without covetousness;"
Contentment is not found...
In Purses, In Possessions, In Places, In Positions, or In People
Our lives need to be free from...
(1)
Wrong Attachments
Contentment that comes from
fleeting fun or happiness, SIN…
(2) Temporal Attachments
We
know that God desires us to prosper, (Luke 6:38; Malachi 3:10) but He doesn’t want us to base our contentment on it! Wealth is a TOOL…
"... for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I
know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.
Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need." Philippians 4:11-12
God
without a doubt is in the healing
business (Pastor Dave’s brother)..but
we cant base our contentment on this either (there are times when we may get
ill, and our contentment would be lost). EXAMPLE: Paul fell ill…
"... a thorn in the flesh was given me... Concerning this thing I
pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to
me, ‘My grace is sufficient [i.e., enough,
satisfying]
for you’..." II
Corinthians 12:7-9
God
is a promoter,
and wants the best for us, for us to succeed, but we can’t base our
contentment on position, or it can consume who we are, ever striving to fill an
“unfillable” void that only God can fill.
II. Principle No. 2: Immediate Satisfaction
(Hebrews 13:5b)
"... be content with such things as you have."
God desires that we be satisfied Right Now with...
(1) What You Have (It’s OK
to have nice things, but they cant dominate our desires, or lead to our
contentment, because it is only a temporary fix)
"Now godliness with contentment is great gain... and having food and
clothing with these we shall be content." I Timothy
6:6, 8
(2) Where You Are
With Advancement - "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor
from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one and
exalts another." Psalm 75:6-7
With Daily Events - "... and in Your book they all were written, the
days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." Psalm
139:16b
With "Chance" Events - "The lot is cast into the lap, but
its every decision is from the Lord"
Proverbs 16:33
III. Principle No. 3: Intimate Communion
(Hebrews 13:5c-6)
"For He Himself as said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake
you.’ So we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What
can man do to me?"
Our contentment becomes a reality when we:
(1) Lean on His Provision
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." Psalm 23:1
(2) Learn His Promises
"Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, nut whoever drinks
of the water that I shall give him will never thirst..." John 4:13-14
"I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and
he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35
"If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in
Me... out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." John 7:37-38
(cf. Matt. 4:4 & I Peter 2:2)
(3) Love HIM!!!!
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians
4:13
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." John 14:23 (cf. 14:19-23)