Contentment with Godliness

Discontentment is reaching a world-wide plague in today's society. We are rarely satisfied with our self, each other, our church, our job, etc. We live with extreme stress most days in many areas of our life.

Yet, God Word exhorts us that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6-7). Learning to live in contentment is a difficult task for most people.

Some carry it too far and end up apathetic with little motivation or passion for life at all (Amos 6:1). However, striving for more possessions, a better job, a new home or car, etc. may cause contention between us and those in life about whom we should care the most.

Living at peace with everyone is sometimes hard to do, but it does bring a measure of contentment to our life (Romans 12:18). We cease from our carnal labors and enter into God's Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9).

The only striving the Bible suggests that we partake in is to “strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24), to “always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16), and to “strive together in prayers to God” (Rom 15:30).

If we "grab" or strive for more out of life, because of discontentment with what we have, God will withhold them from us. However, when we sit contentedly at His feet, ready to receive whatever He thinks is best for us, He gives us all good things to enjoy (James 1:17).

Prayer:

Father God, You promised to give us our daily bread and all that we need to survive in this natural world. You clothed the lilies of the field and the birds of the air (Matthew 6:26-34), and we thank You for providing for us just as richly. We trust in Your goodness and we marvel at Your abundant mercy and grace toward us.

We strive for unity with You each moment of the day and then we enter into Your rest and receive Your provision for us of every good thing that we need. We want to be led by Your Holy Spirit and to live in contentment, rather than to strive for more of this world.

Thought for the Day:

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him".

-1 Corinthians 2:9

God Provides

 

 

When someone asks me how I feel, most of the time I am going to say, “GREAT!” I am well passed the prime of my life, I have flat feet and I have a spine that is so distorted that my chiro does not understand how I am living such a normal life.

I have to pace myself as I age, but I am like the energizer bunny. It is not due to a type A personality, because I do not have one! I am a melancholy and an introvert from birth.

However, I have learned that there is a seed for a miracle in each trial. For instance, while I learned to survive a divorce by my husband of 22 years, God revealed Satan’s lies that I was alone and abandoned. He taught me His truth that He is my husband and that He alone is my strength and my provider (Isaiah 54:5; Psalm 54:4).

Also, I was t-boned in a car accident in 1995 that broke 11 ribs on my left side, punctured my left lung, gave me a concussion, filled the left side of my face with glass and broke the pinky finger on my left hand.

Yet, I was discharged from the hospital the next day after the accident. I was back to work as a full-charge bookkeeper in one week, and I never took one pain pill. God provided for me above all expectations, amazing my doctors and everyone who suffered through even one broken rib.

The Spirit of God continually provides me with supernatural strength and wisdom to combat any physical impairments, and His joy and peace pervade every facet of my life.

Over the years, God taught me to live in the Spirit and not to dwell on the temporal aspects of life for very long, because every instance of tribulation is a new adventure in Christ and a spiritual phenomenon just waiting to happen.

Prayer:

Father God, I prefer peace, order and stability, but life has a way of throwing us curve balls when we least expect it. Even so, You always fill me with Your joy, which is my strength through any tribulation (Nehemiah 8:10). I despise change, but You taught me to handle it with flexibility and joyful acceptance as I witness Your provision for me.

I love the life You gave to me. I enjoy my family and I adore the husband You provided, because he is so adorable! I love people and I never meet a stranger. I enjoy my opportunities of service to You as a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, and in the ministry of Your Army as a spiritual mentor and a Pastor's wife. I give You all the praise, which is due to Your name.

Thought for the Day:

God leads us and guides us each moment of the day; and He keeps us on His straight and narrow path, because of the spiritual enemies of His Kingdom. - Psalm 23:3, 5

 

God's Blessings

Some preachers continually speak about God providing earthly blessings to His people. They declare that God wants us to have health, wealth and success. Other preachers declare that we will not always be blessed in this life. They both refer to blessings in this earthly realm and forget about the eternal blessings.

God does want us to enjoy the temporal blessings, which He provides for us; but they are not always guaranteed. In fact, God will also bless us with trials and tribulation (Matthew 5:11; John 16:33). Jesus was tortured and crucified. John was in prison and beheaded (Matt 11:2-6, 14:10). God gave Paul grace to deal with his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Blessings are gifts from God, which come in all shapes and fashions. Many make us fortunate and happy; yet, sometimes, these blessings appear couched in misfortune and tribulation. Our attitude about them is what makes the difference. Our testimony may be the only source of saving grace for someone suffering along with us.

If we rejoice always (James 1:2; Philippians 4:4), then we view even the most horrendous trial as a blessing from God (Genesis 50:20). He walks through it with us, and in us, providing for our needs and using us as a light in the darkness around us (Psalm 23; Philippians 4:19). It is healthy to mourn our losses, but joy comes as we hold His hand through it all (Psalm 30:5).

God calls us to completely surrender to Him, to trust in His wisdom and to have faith in His faithfulness to His Saints (Job 11:13-15; Proverbs 3:5-6). He rarely operates as we expect or desire, but our Father always knows what is best. Relying totally on God provides the most peaceful existence for us. Living in the center of His will is the happiest place on earth.

Prayer:

Father God, You do all things beautifully in Your timing and way. You are rarely early, but always on time, and usually at the very last earthly minute! I am so glad that You brought me to the place of total surrender to You and Your will in all things. Remind me to be still, to acknowledge You as God, and to allow You to work out everything for my good (Psalm 46:10; Romans 8:28). When I remember what happened when Sara gave her maid to her husband - the Muslim world was born and they have been fighting the son of promise ever since – this prevents me from inventing my own solutions to my problems and spurs me to desire to walk in Your Spirit moment by moment throughout the day.

Thought for the Day:

When God is silent, He is simply enjoying our companionable silence; so be still and know that He is God and has everything under His control.

– Psalm 115:3, 46:10, 16:9; Zechariah 4:6

No Idol Will Stand

What irritates you? What is your pet peeve? What steps on your last nerve? That is an idol in your life. Okay, maybe you do not daily worship at the altar of that idol, but when you are feeling that stress and negative emotion about that issue, you are. Anything that distracts us from peace with God is an idol. Lay it down at the altar.

King Jesus is the Lord, and it grieves Him for us to give our entire focus of attention to another person, activity or thing (Isaiah 42:8). Once we surrender that issue to God, His Spirit helps us to change our focus about it, or to let go of our penchant for worrying, complaining and being distracted by it.

When it stops bothering us, we see the Lord exalted on His throne of our life, and His holiness and glory will fill our life (Isaiah 6:1). As we recall the abundant goodness God provides for His children, our heart bursts out in song; and the petty grievances that once robbed us of our joy seem insignificant. God's new mercies meet us every single morning and give us His strength as our stronghold.

In times of trouble, He is our refuge. As we elevate our loving God in our life, our heart is filled with praises to Him (Psalm 59:16-17). With His good name and His reputation as our main concern, we walk in His ways and wait for His direction for our day (Isaiah 26:8). This prevents us from thinking about, speaking of, or walking in any unrighteousness at all.

Prayer:

Father God, You chose us to witness of Your love and to serve You. Your counsel and wisdom for us in life are absolutely wonderful (Isaiah 28:29). You are the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end (Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8). You already ordained every day of our life on this earth. 

Your purpose and pleasure are the only aspects we perform, which will stand for eternity (Isaiah 46:10). When we think about Your mighty works both for Israel and for Your Saints throughout all generations, we realize that You are God and there is no one like You (Isaiah 46:9).

Thought for the Day:

We understand and believe that Jehovah is our Almighty God and that no idol ever comes before Him or will ever come after Him. - Isaiah 43:10

God Provides

King David commented that throughout his life, He never saw a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25). God provides for His own and He blesses thousands of generations of descendents of those who love and serve Him (Exodus 20:6). We are happy and put all of our hope in our Lord. He keeps every promise He makes to us with as much certainty as He uses to keep the world He created in perfect balance (Psalm 146:5-6).

He causes the Godly to flourish like a palm tree. They grow tall and He transplants them into His own garden, so that we are under His personal care. Even in our old age, He sees to it that we produce fruit and remain green and vital. Our prosperity honors the Lord, because it shows the world that God cares for His own (Psalm 92:12-15). When we are acquainted with God’s ways, we come to put our trust in Him, because He never forsakes anyone who seeks Him (Psalm 9:10).

When someone or something comes against God’s beloved, He takes it very personally (Zechariah 2:8). We are precious in His sight (Isaiah 43:3). God’s will is not an objective to achieve, but a lifestyle to live. We trust Him because He always helps those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10). He never sleeps, but watches over us day and night. He cares for us and defends us, keeping us from evil and preserving our life. He keeps his eye upon us as we come and go, and guards us in all of our ways (Psalm 121:2-8).

Jehovah made the mountains and the heavens; and yet, is mindful of all mankind (Psalm 8:4-6). He gives justice to the poor and the oppressed, as well as food to the hungry. He heals the sick, lifts the burdens of those crippled under a heavy weight, protects immigrants and cares for both orphans and widows. The Lord loves His righteous Saints and is their defense (Psalm 146:7-9). He gives His angels charge over us, so that we never stumble or fall (Psalm 91:11-12).

Prayer:

Father God, we will never forget Your promises, Your mercy and grace or the marvelous works You perform (Psalm 111:4-6). Your loving kindness pours out forever and ever on those who revere You. If we are faithful to Your covenant and obey Your precepts, Your salvation is for us and our children (Psalm 103:17). Your love stands firm forever and You establish Your faithfulness in Heaven and earth, and it endures forever (Psalm 89:2, 119:90).

Thought for the Day:

Those who refuse to obey the Lord do not comprehend His might or the wonders of His creation. – Nehemiah 9:17, 31