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

Survival of the Fittest

 

We are able to survive in this world by no other means than the faithfulness of God pouring out His blessings on our life. Some people blindly careen through each day, never realizing that God blessed them (Romans 3:19-26).

The kindness, mercy and love of our God and Savior wash us with His Word, provide for us His new birth, and renew us by the fullest measure of His Spirit within us. He justifies us by His grace and makes us heirs with Jesus of His eternal Kingdom.

His greatest gift is that He is just and He justifies us, not by our own accomplishments but by His (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7). Yet, people usually fail to thank Him for His blessings and take credit for the good things that happen to them.

We eventually get weary, burdened and burn out. We long for a time of rest from the rat-race of life. The wise person will yoke up with Christ, learn from Him and gain rest for their soul (Matthew 11:28-30).

We trust that Jesus knows exactly what we need and how to attain that. We quit doing things our way, and follow the direction of God's Spirit each moment of the day.

We cease from our fruitless labors and enter God's rest (Hebrews 4:10). We stop attempting to please God by the works of our flesh and realize that we can only prove our love to Him through obedience to His Word (John 14:15).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that there is no longer condemnation for those of us who love You and are the called according to Your purpose rather than our own goals and desires. Thank You for Your life-giving Spirit who achieves in us what the law never could. Thank you for sending Jesus as God with us in human form to fulfill the requirements of the law and setting us free from the power and purpose of sin, the world and the flesh (Romans 8:1-8).

Remind us that in the flesh, we can never please You; but Your Spirit in us gives us Your holiness and Your life (Romans 8:9-11). Help us to depend on You for everything we need during the day. Teach us not to worry about anything in life, but to pray instead; and to trust You just like the birds of the air and the lilies in the field (Matthew 6:25-33).

Thought for the Day:

Trusting in Jesus helps us to realize that only He can rescue us from the tyranny of this life. - Romans 7:15-25

Comfortable in My Own Skin

Read: Matt 6:25-34



"So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.”- Matthew 6:27 

In my first few years as a Christian, worry was my constant companion. Bad things happen to good people, including myself, much too often.

I do not enjoy suffering for any reason and I do not like my friends and family to suffer either. I had a habit of taking shallow breaths, intently concentrating on the issue at hand, praying intensely for the situation and attempting through the sheer power of my self-will to prevent the issues I worried about from ever occurring. Of course, this never did any good!

One day I developed chest congestion for the millionth time, and the Lord pointed out to me that hyperventilating was causing my lungs to fill up with fluid. Worry was choking the life right out of my spirit, soul and body. I had to face the facts. There were more requests than gratitude in my prayers, pleading with God to change the circumstances in my life. I didn’t even like what I looked like, where I lived or the clothes I had to wear. I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. I worried way too much. 

Then, I read Jesus’ solution to worry in Matthew 6:25-34. He teaches us that worry does not add a single moment to our life or a single inch to our stature. He admonishes us not to worry about our provision for food, housing or clothing. He points out that God effectually cares for the flowers that He created for temporary enjoyment, and He reminds us that we are far more important to Our Heavenly Father than all the lilies in the field and the birds of the air.

In bringing about my healing from worry, God went one step further. He also gave me my firstborn son, and the delights of motherhood gave me a vision and a purpose for my life. God also taught me to paint. He even allowed some of my paintings to sell. He built up my self-worth and showed me how much fun it is to be creative. God taught me to trust in Him, to obey Him and to do good to all men, especially to those of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). He also promised me that I would dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8, 16:9; Proverbs 1:23).

God told me to be still and to trust that He is God (Psalm 46:10), to wait patiently for Him and not to fret, even when evil men carried out their wicked schemes against me and those I love (Psalm 37:7). He encouraged me to delight myself in Him and He would put His desires in my heart. He called me to commit my way to Him and to trust Him. Then, He would make my righteous deeds and the people I care about shine as a light to illuminate the way for others (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Our Heavenly Father already knows exactly what we need and when we need it. He promises that if we look after His business, then He will provide everything we need according to His glorious riches (Matthew 6:33). God gives us strength to walk through trials and He always works them out for our good (Romans 8:28). He protects us from our enemies (Psalm 138:7; Zechariah 9:15). He encourages us to give all our worries and cares to Him, because He really does completely care for us (1 Peter 5:7). Nothing can ever separate us from His love (Romans 8:35-39). With Christ dwelling in us we can be comfortable in our own skin (Colossians 1:27)!

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for helping me to stop fretting about life and to start casting my cares on You. You care for me now and always. I believe, dear Lord, but please, help my unbelief when my faith waivers. When the way looks dark, shine Your light on my path. When the storm clouds gather, continue to provide me with a safe haven. Help me to trust in You and to let my light to shine so that everyone will see my life and glorify You (Matthew 5:16).

Thought For the Day:

God loves us so much that He stretched out His arms and died for us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.





Thank you, Susan Holsinger, for the use of your photo.