0:02 [music] >> So let me share a few words and I trust the Lord will help us as we proceed here. Uh the theme of the conference has been uh gathering has been finding contentment. A Lord in Christ Jesus. 0:21 Um Um Jesus did say and we heard it yesterday the verse where where the Lord says for us to uh ask and we would receive to seek and find and to knock 0:40 and the door would be open to us. We It's recorded more than once in the Bible that Jesus made that that statement. But as I thought on this matter of contentment, I found and not just in contentment uh any of the attributes of Christ 0:56 many times we talk about wanting to be like Jesus, but I found and I'm seeing more and more that it's not as simple as just asking God, praying God, make me a a contented person or give me patience or give me the love of Christ and then God dumps 1:15 that attribute on us. There's a process I've seen uh to attain the mind and the life of Christ. A process of testing a process of trials God wanted to take us through that process before we attain uh more and more of the likeness of 1:35 Jesus Christ. It's not simply it's not like walking out the doors of this house and saying I found contentment right there in the yard or something like that. It's a process and many times it's difficult but it's good. And so I want to talk a little bit about 1:52 that, this matter of contentment. The same thing with any of them of the fruit of the spirit of the mind or the attributes of Christ. Just getting on our knees saying, "God, give this to me." It's a good prayer. We must ask, but be 2:05 ready for God to take you through that process before you attain. And it's And again, that process is one of testing, God testing us and trying, and allowing different circumstances to come our way. And then when it's all said and done, 2:22 when we yield to his his word, his discipline, and his uh his correction, whatever it might be. As we yield and as we obey, the fruit of righteousness is born in our lives. I found that's the way it works. And I start off 2:40 by saying that so that if you're if you were there's any challenges or trials or or uh or difficulties you're facing right now, it actually could be a good thing. If you're walking with the Lord Jesus, rejoice. Uh because there's something God is trying 2:57 to bring about of Christ in you. God will never I won't say never, but most likely he won't dump uh that fruit or that attribute on you. He has to give take you through a process. And that's what I want to talk about specifically 3:14 regarding contentment. But you can think of it uh in any matters, [clears throat] any matter concerning the mind or the attribute of Christ. But regarding contentment, there's a verse in Philippians 4 that I want us to look at. 3:28 Uh this came to me a while back, and again, you know, the Bible says uh not to be ignorant of the devices of the devil. What I say, I want to you know, that's very important, but I want to know how God does a thing, how 3:42 God works, the ways of God. And one of those ways is this matter again of God taking me through different uh uh, circumstances that I look dark or difficult, but if I can see that there's a good this a great good at the 3:57 end of it all, I can be still and rejoice knowing that God is working something in me. As I speak to you right now, I'm going through that, and I'm sure all of you in some shape, form, or fashion, you're going through that also. Rejoice. 4:12 Yield to God's uh, correction or his working in you. There's something good at the end. So, with with this matter of contentment, see what Paul says here. In Philippians chapter 4, and verse 11. It's a very This word this verse came to life to me 4:30 a while back, and again, it's shown me a little bit of how God does it in me. Here in Philippians 4:11, Paul says, "I don't speak in regard of need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content." That word learned is what I want to 4:49 emphasize this morning. I've learned. So, Paul wanted contentment just as you and I do, but he had to go through a process of testing. He had to learn it. Almost all of us have been through the educational system. 5:08 You didn't get to be where you are intellectually or academically overnight. You had to go through test, study, test. You didn't do well, you had to retake a test. Spiritually, it's almost like that. God has to take us through those steps. 5:25 If you skip a step, you have to go back and learn it. God is working something. So, that word learned it's what came to me a while back. I have learned in whatever state that I'm in to be content. Verse 12 says, "I know how to 5:42 be abased, not to have anything. I know how to abound, how to have a lot. Everywhere and in all things, again that word I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to be to abound and to suffer need. So again that word learned is what I 6:02 want to emphasize today. Be ready to go through God's school to be like Jesus. You have to learn it. There's steps, there's testings and trials in your life. God allows it. 6:20 If you want contentment, God allows you to go through a periods where there's a lot. I've been through that, periods where you don't have as much. I've been through that and I'm sure you have to at some point. Times where there's 6:36 just enough, where there's lack of You have to go through all of this if you want to get to a place where you can say, "Lord, I am content in you and in whatever whatever circumstance of boundary you set for me." But you have to go through it. You have 6:53 to learn it. And so when when when I saw the title of our meeting of our conference when we were trying to decide what it should be, you know, saying I found finding contentment, it's true, but it's easy to forget the steps that 7:05 you have to go through to get to find that contentment. And that's those steps is what I want to just bring before you today. We will find it, praise God, but know before you find it, you must go through different steps, different trials and 7:22 testings before you can come to the place where I'm contented in Jesus Christ alone. And that's the greatest place any human being can say, "I can be I have found contentment in the Lord himself. Little or much, the Lord is enough for 7:40 me." And so that's my desire for myself and I want that to be the case for you and me. But, be ready. Be ready. God will take you through different steps. And you know what's amazing? Even for Jesus himself, it's quite amazing that the Bible says 7:58 of Christ that he had to learn things. Hebrews 5:8, maybe you can turn there and see this as wonderful revealing verse about Jesus, the Son of God. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 8. It says of Jesus that though he was a son, he's the Son of God. He was the Son of 8:18 God. He is the Son of God. That never changed. But yet, he had to learn obedience by the things he suffered. This is what I'm trying to bring out to you and me today. Even Jesus had to learn by going through trials in his life. 8:37 He had to learn it and see the fruit of that of him learning obedience through the different challenges and circumstances the Father placed in his way. Verse 9 says and having been perfected, he became the author of eternal 8:51 salvation to all who obey him. Do you see that? If you combine those with those two verses, you can see that it wasn't automatic. God sent him to die for our sins, no doubt, but it was not automatic that it would happen that way. 9:04 He had to go through different steps. And after he had passed, the Father says, "You're ready now." That's what verse 9 says. Having been perfected through suffering, through testings, he became the author of eternal salvation for you and me. 9:20 If you and I will be anything useful in God's hands, there's no other way but but this trials and testing. God allowing people to put us down. God allowing the devil to throw wrenches in our way in our ways, things not going the way we 9:39 want them. Rejoice again. If you can see ahead of time, you know it says of Jesus that he was able to endure all those things because he he saw the joy that was set before him. That's the way you and I must be also. So, 9:54 uh please, I know that many of you have maybe questions or uh circumstances that you don't understand. It's okay. If you're walking with the Lord Jesus, you can rejoice. It's a good thing that God is allowing these things to 10:10 happen for something greater, something better when it's all said and done. Again, for you to find contentment as we want to, as we've said at the beginning of this conference, be ready. God will take you through testings and 10:26 trials that when it's all said and done, you can find that contentment that we're talking about in him alone. Still speaking about this same Jesus in Luke chapter 2. This matter of Jesus growing and learning. It was not automatic. It's quite amazing 10:41 that he who is God from all eternity became a man and he had to learn. It wasn't automatic. He had to grow. See Luke chapter 2, speaking of Christ from from the days of his youth even till the day he died on that cross. Luke 2 verse 10:58 52, see what it says here. That Jesus increased in wisdom and stature. God does not increase. God is complete and full all the time, but because Jesus was a man like you and me, he had to learn, he had to increase, he had to grow 11:17 in wisdom and stature, it says there in Luke 2:52. So, we talk about looking to Jesus. Please see this in him as well. Nothing was automatic for him. He had to go through the steps of training and testing and learning. 11:35 But thank God he prevailed and through him also we can prevail as well. We must prevail just as he did. So many times, you know, we talk about wanting to be like Jesus. And the question the Lord has asked me several times, are you able to drink the 11:52 cup that I drink from? Are you able to be baptized in my baptism? I said, "Lord, I will and I can if you help me." I wouldn't say like the disciples, "I can't." No, I I said, "If you can help me." And we must drink that same cup of 12:08 testing. Maybe not to the extent that he did, but we must drink a portion of that cup of suffering and trials and testing. It It has to come. And it's a good thing if you're a child of God, it's a sign that it's working 12:21 something in me. So let's be careful. I We always talk about uh being like Jesus, being like I said that many I still do, but I want to think about what I'm saying now because when we when I said that in the past and I think when we say it, we're 12:36 thinking of the end result. I want to have peace like Jesus had. I want to have humility. I want to be humble like Jesus, we all say. But you forget that he had to go through. Nobody wants to talk about the process. So every time now when you when you talk 12:51 about being like Christ, think about the end result, but don't forget the process it takes to get there. We do that. We forget that process of suffering, of trial. Same with the title of our conference here, I found contentment. I want to 13:06 find contentment, but you have to learn it. There are ter- there are trials and tests God will take you through. But thanks be to God that when it's all said and done, I can find that mind of Christ, which is what we all are pursuing. 13:22 So think about that every time I want to be like Jesus. Everybody He that, but nobody wants to drink that cup that he went through. And so, I said, "Lord, I will drink it if you help me. I don't want to presume just to say yes, I can on my own." You cannot. 13:38 The life of Christ was difficult. It was a hard life. It was a difficult life, but he prevailed. Be of good cheer. I will overcome the world because he did. And in him, you and I can as well. So, again I say, if you're facing any 13:55 challenges now, if God has put those blocks in your way, those things you can't explain, I know different of you have expressed different things in your lives that you don't understand, rejoice. Rejoice. God is working something out. 14:12 If you are in Christ Jesus, there's something good God is doing. I'm telling you right now for me, that's in my own circumstances, even now, I rejoice because I know God is doing something. And without me going through these 14:25 trials and testings, it's not just going to be the same. When it's all said and done, even before it's all said and done, even while I'm in through it, I still can rejoice because I see my father working things out for me. So, 14:41 if you want to follow Christ, that's what it means. Remember once he said, "Well, if you want to be my disciple, who who go who builds a tower without counting the cost? You must count the cost. Who goes to war with 10,000 soldiers 14:57 uh against someone with 20,000 without checking and seeing?" We just say I want to do this and do that for Christ, but do you know what you're saying is what those verses is asking? Do you know what it means to follow me? 15:12 There will be challenges. There will be testing. But it's all for our good. You know, there's that's the reason why, you know, Romans 5:3, let's look at that. When Paul says that that I that we glory in tribulations. So, I thought the other day and that had 15:28 a pastor who grow who glories, who rejoices in tribulations. Tribulations are quite different from testing or even trials. Job went through went through tribulations. That's a everything is going haywire. You know, you're sick, 15:44 no money for rent. I mean, everything is going crazy. That's a tribulation, not little things here and there. What Job went through was tribulation. Paul in Romans 5:3 says, "We glory in those tribulations." Why? Because 15:59 it produces uh uh Romans 5: verse 3. We glory in our tribulations knowing this, that tribulations produce produces patience or perseverance. It's another thing we always I want 16:17 patience, patience, patience, but God give it to me. I want No, it doesn't work like that. You have to go through difficulties and challenges and disappointments, maybe. Paul says here, "I glory in those things because I know it's producing 16:32 patience in me. Uh and and my patience produces character. And character brings hope. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been shared. You know that Romans 5:5, we quote that a lot. But we miss out how we got love of God 16:50 is shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit. But see what he says before we get to [clears throat] that. Trials. And I can endure it. I can rejoice in it. I can You know, to glory in in tribulation, Paul is saying I'm 17:05 Let it come. Let it come because I can see these things. I'm not there yet. I'm not I'm not I don't know that I I'm I'm calling for tribulations to come, but I want to see by God's grace if it does come. and it does come in God do not 17:19 give me more than I can bear but even the little that I I'm facing I want to rejoice I am rejoicing you must do the same. That because I can see God is doing something greater. Beyond my current circumstances. So please pause and think on your 17:35 whatever it is you're facing. And let let that verse we read yesterday in Acts 17. That God allows these things so that we can seek him. And find him even in our trials. Even though God is not far from us he's close to He's there. He has never left me. He 17:54 will never leave me. Even in my trials and my difficulties. And I can rejoice because I see He's working the mind of Jesus. In me. That's Romans 5:3 is an amazing verse when I When I pondered on that the other day Paul could say that James 1:2 18:11 Rejoice when you go through trials. Because trials Bring us about patience that word patience again. And let patience have its perfect work so that you can be complete and entire lacking nothing. That's the purpose. Of all those difficulties we face. 18:31 Because God allows is allowing these things to work out. The nature of Jesus. There's a process you have to learn it. And if you skip a a grade you go back and retake it. But God will help us. So that we can pass. Each of those tests and and uh 18:51 And steps. Before we attain to Christ himself. So Um contentment is a very important thing. But be ready for God to take away. And to To bless and make things upon different ways he does it. 19:09 Paul said I've learned contentment even when I had a lot. When I had nothing, it didn't matter. I found and I've learned how to be happy, to rejoice, and to be happy with what God has given me. I'm using words here, but the Holy 19:26 Spirit must impress it on our hearts. So that it goes beyond words. It must be the reality of our lives. I'm happy in Jesus alone. I'm content in him. This is the work of God's Spirit. But you must go through the steps. 19:43 All of us, if you're God's child, you must go through that step. Um I did this, I heard the one of the best definitions of contentment from one of our young teenagers a while back, about a year, year and a half ago. She said in 19:58 class that day that contentment [clears throat] to her was being happy with what God had given her. But more than that, it's not wanting what someone else has. I've never heard that definition. I mean, the first part I know, I'm happy 20:13 with God, what God has given me. We all say that. But to truly say I don't even want what someone else has. That could be tough. Cuz you see someone who has money or fame or a good job, a good life, somewhere in the back of our 20:27 hearts, I wish I had that. But a contented person will say, "I don't even want it because God has not given it to me." That really opened my eyes when I heard her say that. That's what I want, both sides. I'm happy with what God has given 20:41 me. To an extent I can say that, but I don't even want to what anybody else has, great or small. I'm just happy with what where God has placed me. That's what it means to be content. We must learn it from Jesus. He was that way. 20:59 He was that way. We've got to learn it from him. You know, in that Matthew 11 where it says, um come unto me. Matthew 11 uh verses 28, 29 and 30. We I think we all know those verses very well. Come to me all of you that labor and are heavy 21:17 laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. See what it says in verse 29 again, you've got to learn it. You've got to learn from me, for I'm gentle and lowly in heart. Then you will find rest for your souls. Do you see what I'm saying here? 21:36 Before I find rest, contentment, I first have to learn it. So, let's not jump into I found I want to find this. I have to learn in Christ Jesus. But what touched me in those verses is verse 27 first of all. What Jesus says, "Everything has been given 21:53 to me. All things have been given to me by my father." All things means all things. Rest, contentment, peace, joy, everything is in Christ Jesus. And then it says "Learn it from me. Learn everything from me." "Learn rest from me. 22:13 Learn contentment from me." This is the work of God's spirit. You see how Jesus endured. You know, he could have complained even once or a little bit about what others had that he did not. He could. Don't Let's not say because 22:28 he's the son of God. He could have like we heard earlier about that temptation of the devil to show him the glories of the world. Easily, as a man, he could have said, "Why not? Why can't I have some comfort in this world?" He would have sinned, but he did 22:45 not. He says to you and me, "Learn it." This is what the Holy Spirit does. Learn it from Jesus. So, all things, everything everything that we desire of God is in Jesus Christ. We've got to learn it. We have to go through those steps 23:04 to get that attribute of Christ. The ten the steps of of testing and trials. So, again, I know several of you are dealing with different things. Will you rejoice and glory in your trial? Your trial, your testings. I don't know if any of us are are going 23:23 through tribulation. Tribulation that's a deep one. It's everything going crazy at the same time. Think of Job. That was a tribulation. The man in tribulation. You and I facing testings and trials here, little little things. But that's 23:36 good. We thank God for that for now. One of these days we can say like Paul, "Let it come. House burned down. My health is bad. I lost my job. I My bones are broken. Something is everything at the same time." That is tribulation. I'm not 23:51 there yet. I'm facing little tests and trials here, but even there I can say I rejoice. I glory in that. One of these days like Paul, when those tribulations come, and they will come, I want to be able to say also I can 24:04 glory. I rejoice. Why? Because I see God is doing something of Jesus in me. That's why we can rejoice. For the joy that is set before you and me, we can endure like Jesus did. Please, let's again this matter of contentment. 24:21 Let's learn it from Christ. I want to close with that verse in 1 Timothy 6 where Paul says, speaking of contentment again, 1 Timothy 6:6, that um godliness, 1 Timothy 6:6, godliness and contentment is great gain. 24:41 >> [clears throat] >> Because we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out. Please think about 1 Timothy 6, verse 6 and 7. Contentment, godliness with contentment is great gain. Uh godliness by itself is is is very 25:01 important. Contentment by itself is very important. But that verse says you've got to pair both of them together to get a great gain. When I read that verse a while back, I thought of, you know, when you the doctor you maybe you were 25:14 sick and you they give you some medicines. They take one uh paracetamol with with uh with uh an antibiotic or something. You got to use them together. If you use just one, you'll get some good, but you'll never be fully cured. 25:30 You got to take them together. That's what I see with this verse here. You've got to pair both. You'll get some gain, but this verse says great gain. So, you'll get some gain by just pursuing contentment. You'll get gain by 25:42 just pursuing godliness. But this verse says you get great gain by putting both together. Please think about that and let the Lord give some understanding to what that means. Pursuing all of God, his ways, his mind. I want to be like God, godliness in 26:00 everything I do. And at the same time being happy in him. Put those two together, you're a blessed man. If you put them apart, you'll get a lot, no doubt. But put them together, you get great gain. So, very important. Uh it's great gain 26:19 to have pursued the mind and the ways of God with contentment. And then verse seven says, The truth is we brought nothing into this world. And we're going to leave with nothing. The only thing that will matter is is the life of God to the extent that we 26:37 pursue that. Everything earthly, everything that is not of God, is going to be left behind. My Bible here says it's certain. I don't think every version says that. But my Bible says it is certain. Meaning for sure. For sure. 26:55 And I I I I emphasize that because many times we live as though we're we're going to take some of the things we accumulate on this earth with us. We can say, "No, I'm not going to take it." But why then are you pursuing 27:05 those things so much if it's true that you're not going to take them away? We say that it's Yeah, I know it is not I'm not going to take them away, but our conduct belies what our statement is, what our profession is. Must not be so. 27:20 Uh it's certain you're not going to take anything out. Even when they put I was What was I the other day and they said the the buried man with his guitar. The wood is rotted there or whatever, but he's gone. Guitar and I was a musician. 27:35 They buried him with his guitar. I thought, "What good is that?" He doesn't care about the guitar anymore. He's dead. You're not going to take anything with you. I So, you're not going to take anything out. If you really understand that, 27:51 your attraction to the earthly things that are passing away will start to go down. But we say it, but we act the other wise. Let's be honest now. Be honest. It must not be so. So, we're not taking anything out. The only thing that will endure 28:08 is if we do God's will. So, please remember that as we talk about this man of contentment. We want to be honest before God and let the spirit of Christ show the state the state of each of our hearts and help us rise in Jesus. So, 28:24 that's really all I want to say. Be ready. God will take you through through different steps here. You must learn it. There's no other way. To be like Jesus is to learn of him. Take that yoke. Yoke of Christ on us and every day 28:43 go through whatever God may step place before us, an abundant abundance it don't matter. Less it don't matter. Uh it don't matter. Whatever it might be, God whatever you you boundaries you put before me, I just want to rejoice in 29:00 you. Come what may. I think we all can come there. I don't know if any of us is have been up there up there perfectly. But the question is, are you growing in that mindset? So don't complain. Don't God, why I don't do that anymore. Why or why why 29:18 why or anger. Some people say they're angry with God. Never. Don't do it. God, I don't understand. You can say that. Ex- Show me. You can do that. But don't say I'm angry at God or or complain before him. No. 29:35 I can rest in whatever he's brought my way. So. Okay, so that's it. When we want to say we want to be like Jesus, please remember there steps. Don't just say glibly, I want to be like Jesus. We want to be transformed to image to his image and 29:51 all of that. Yes, we will be transformed, but don't forget the steps. Jesus suffered. He went through Hebrews 12 says consider him who endured such hostility from sinners so that you're not tired in your spirit. That's a very important verse. I'll 30:11 close with that here. Hebrews 12 uh verse three. Consider him. Consider Jesus. Think about him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself lest you become weary and discouraged. There's a reason why the Holy Spirit put 30:30 that there because he knows if we don't think on Christ in these matters, it's easy to be discouraged. It's easy to be tired. Verse four says, you have not resisted to the shedding of blood. Jesus did. Actually, he did. 30:46 So, the only way to endure till the end is by considering what he went through and asking him to strengthen us as we face these trials and challenges also. They'll come. They will come. But, thanks be to God who gives us always gives us the victory 31:04 in Christ Jesus. It's a wonderful verse, so may God help us. We're conquerors through him who loved us. Amen. Amen. Amen. >> [music]
