167 Sermon Illustrations on Contentment

Work/Contentment

A state governmental employee sat in his office and out of boredom decide

to see what was in his old filing cabinet. He poked through the contents and

came across an old lamp. As he polished it off, a genie appeared and granted

him three wishes.

"I wish for an ice cold diet soda, right now!" Poof, he was in a quiet

park holding a cold drink. He quickly guzzled it down and now being able to

think more clearly he said, "I wish to be on an island where the world's most

beautiful women reside.

Poof...suddenly he was on a beach with gorgeous women approaching him. He

then told the genie his third and final wish, " I wish I'd never have to work

again!"

Poof...he was back in his government office.

”Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5, TLB).

Author Russell H. Conwell in his book, “Acres of Diamonds,” tells about a farmer who wanted to sell his farm and work for a cousin in the oil business so he could make more money. However, before applying for this job he spent considerable time and effort doing an exhaustive study on the subject of oil to make himself well qualified for the work he wanted to do. With this knowledge he had no difficulty in getting the job he wanted.

Soon after he sold his farm, the new owner discovered oil on it which eventually made him more than $100 million.

Does avoiding the love of money mean we should never seek to better ourselves? I don’t think so. What it does mean is that it is important not to allow the love of money to control us. Among other things it can stop us seeing what we already have in several areas of our life and developing these. It is not money that is the root of all sorts of evil, but the love of it. Rarely is the grass greener on the other side of the fence.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to see all the benefits I already have and make the best of these … and ‘please give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ Gratefully in Jesus’ name.”

Nature’s livestock here in Florida may be different from yours. We see Fox, Armadillos, Bobcats, Coyotes, Alligators and all sorts of birds including about four varieties of pretty woodpeckers. I just looked out of my office window and saw a Pileated Woodpecker going to work on a dead Pine tree.

If it weren’t for the fact that God gave woodpeckers a uniquely insulated brain, Pileated Woodpecker’s would have the world’s worst Excedrin headache. They make wood fly so that it looks like an Oregon wood chopper at work. It’s fun to watch.

Why did God make them that way? Add that to your list of things to ask in Heaven. Why did He make me a perfect 5-B — bald, bifocals, bridge, bay-window and bunions?

We need to thank God for the person we are and be determined to make that person the very best example of God’s creation that we can. Go with what you have and polish it for God.

Col. 1:9 & 10 (NLT), “… We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in our lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for each other. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.” That is going with what you have and polishing it for God. Read these verses again, then start shining!

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You are getting old when rock is something you do in your chair…

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Everybody can make mistakes but fools practice them…

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For Long Life … Life expectancy for weekly churchgoers is 82; for those who attend more than once a week, it’s 83. Non-churchgoers live an average of 75 years. – USA Today [I think that these figures are suspect — RGH]

Contentment, contrary to popular opinion, doesn't mean being satisfied with what you have. Contentment is the result of knowing God's plan for your life, having the conviction to live it and believing that God's peace is greater than the world's problems.

Now, I'm not sure what you thought of when you read the question above: “Are you looking for great gain?” But I know what God says about it –- “Godliness with contentment is a great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

Often, we get trapped into a discontented life by adopting worldly goals. These goals always boil down to: More. Bigger. Best. Scripture defines them as indulgence, greed and pride. In our society it isn't normal to “step down.” Once a certain level of income (or spending) has been attained, it is considered a failure to step down. But is the concept of conservation and moderation really a loser's attitude? Not according to biblical standards.

GOD'S PLAN FOR CONTENTMENT

Although many Scriptures teach about the dangers of material riches, God's Word doesn't teach that poverty is the alternative. God wants us to understand that money is a tool that we are to use in accomplishing His plan through us.

If Christians are to find true contentment, some basic lifestyle guidelines must be established:

-- Establish a reasonable standard of living.

Since there is no universal biblical plan that is suitable for everyone, this must be a standard established among husband, wife and God. Simply because you may have an abundance, don't think that's a clear sign of God's blessings. Satan can easily duplicate any worldly riches.

However, God's riches are without sorrow and for bringing others to salvation.

-- Establish a habit of giving.

Above the tithe, God wants Christians to be involved with the needs of others. Every Christian family should be directly involved with the needs of another family.

There are many Christian organizations that act as a funnel for such funds. So, even if you claim that you don't have the time to be personally involved, there are alternative ways you can help others.

If God has provided a surplus for you, don't assume that you then have the right to spend it selfishly. “At the present time your surplus is [available] for their need, so that their abundance may also become [available] for your need, that there may be equality.* As it has been written: 'The person who gathered much did not have too much, and the person who gathered little did not have too little'“ (2 Corinthians 8:14-15).

-- Establish priorities.

When my good friend Larry Burkett was alive, he had an axiom that may clearly speak to your life. Larry would say, “Many Christians are discontented, not because they aren't doing well -- they're discontented because others are doing better than they are.” Is that what it's about in your life?

“Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you'“ (Hebrews 13:5). Too often we let what seem to be the urgent things take priority over the truly important things.

-- Develop a gratitude attitude.

True thankfulness is a state of mind and is not dependent on such things as good health and other important benefits.

But, much of what we call “thankfulness” is based on whether we have accumulated certain assets. Until we can truly thank God for what we have -- whether little or much -- and be willing to accept that as God's provision for our lives, contentment never will be possible.

-- Reject a fearful spirit.

Christians can get trapped into hoarding because they fear the “What ifs?” of retirement, disability, unemployment or economic collapse. Obviously, God wants us to consider these things and even plan for them, within reason. But, when a fearful spirit dictates one's life to the point that giving to God's work is hindered, foolish risks are assumed and worry becomes the norm rather than the exception.

A Christian must consciously reject this attitude of fear. “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Contentment, then, is knowing God's plan for your life. So, if you're discontented, that's an indication that you need to get serious about what God wants for you and seek His will for your life. “More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

And, once you've discovered His will, then you must trust God's promises. “The peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Look to God for “great gain” -- “Godliness with contentment is a great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

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Howard Dayton is CEO of Crown Financial Ministries

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In a book written in the early 1900's titled THE PSALMS IN HUMAN LIFE AND EXPERIENCE, author Rowland Prothero gives evidence of the widespread use and influence of the Psalms in public and private lives throughout history. His work carefully traces together some of the countless instances in which the Psalms have guided and sustained lives and nations. While looking back on history, Prothero notes of his day, that the very language of the Psalms “has become part of the daily life of nations, passing into their proverbs, mingling with their conversation, and used at every critical stage of existence.”(1)

Doubtless, much has changed since the writing of these words. As a nation we seem to be guided more by feelings and appetites, than the Word of God, more in tune with what we want, than what is written in the pages of Scripture. We have become so bombarded with information, and so comfortable with listening to the experts, that we have largely abandoned the wealth of personally delving into God's Word daily. Sadly, even as Christians we often spend our time gazing at the pennies we have found along the journey, instead of receiving unto ourselves all of the wealth of heaven God offers us in his Word.

Sad indeed, for the stories describing Scriptures that have changed history are abundant. And occasionally, one finds an old soul who scatters throughout his conversations the vocabulary of old hymns, speaking readily with the language and imagery of God's Word. An old man in a church I once served was very much like this. At 100 years old, he had been blind for years and had grown nearly deaf as he came through his nineties, and yet I have never known a more contented Christian or a more robust and fervent man of God. He recited daily entire chapters of Scripture by memory. When I would come to visit, he would take my hand and ask if I could fathom a more beautiful hymn than “How Great Thou Art,” or conjure up more truthful words than “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Singing completely by memory, unable to read the words in the bulletin that read, “1,2, and 3 verses only,” he once bellowed out the words of the last verse alone and a cappella. I have wondered if heaven ever heard so grand a sound and verse:

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

His life, among countless others, is a testimony to the power of God's Word when we allow it to seep deeply into our soul. Even so, the words of a popular song clash loudly, “Follow your heart, your intuition; it will lead you in the right direction.” And this we declare the postmodern anthem, even as our hearts testify against us. For in the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things” (17:9).

As one truth-seeker of old has said, “The nature of water is soft, that of stone is hard; but if a bottle is hung above the stone, allowing the water to fall drop by drop, it wears away the stone. So it is with the Word of God; it is soft and our heart is hard, but the man who hears the Word of God often, opens his heart to the fear of God.”(2)

Will you allow your heart to be changed? Let us not forget that by God's Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed. What would happen if his were the words sung from the depths of our soul? The Word of God is infinitely practical, living and active, sharp enough to penetrate the hardest of hearts, careful to shape and able to transform the lives of all who will receive Him. Let us return again to the wealth and splendor of Scripture, for the promises of God vouchsafed to us in Christ are ours in abundance.

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1. (New York: E.P. Dutton and Co., 1903), 2.

2. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, (Cistercian Publications, 1987).

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Copyright © 2005 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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”Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6 NIV

The world’s concept of happiness is getting what we want. All merchandising is based on this idea. To really be happy, we need a flashier car, a sexier cologne, or any number of items that are better, faster or easier to use than what we already have. We watch the commercials, read the ads, and pursue all the latest fashions, fads and fancy doodads. We buy into the lie that we’re not really happy until we get what we want.

God’s concept of happiness is summed up in the simple proverb: “Happy is the man who wants what he has.” As long as you are focusing on what you don’t have, you’ll be unhappy. But when you begin to appreciate what you already have, you’ll begin to experience the joys of life.

Paul wrote to Timothy: “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV). Actually, you already have everything you need to live a joyful life. You have Christ. You have eternal life. You are loved by a heavenly Father who has promised to supply all your needs. No wonder the Bible repeatedly commands us to be thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:18). If you really want to be happy, learn to be thankful for what you have and not covet what you don’t have.

First apostles, secondarily prophets. — 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Some prophets aspire to be apostles. They feel it is quite in order to start in the second place, but not to stay there. Jonathan was in the royal line of succession and from the human point of view should have succeeded Saul, his father. But knowing the first place could never be his, he was capable of magnanimous surrender. “Thou shalt be king,” Jonathan told David, “and I shall be next unto thee” (1 Samuel 23:17). All Saul’s son wanted was the second place — nearness to the man he loved. Our Lord paid tribute to John, as one greater than any of the prophets. But when Jesus appeared as Messiah, John recedes from prominence and takes second place. — H. Lockyer.

Is your place a small place?

Tend it with care, He set you there.

Is your place a large place?

Guard it with care, He set you there.

Whatever your place, it is not yours alone,

but His — who set you there.

Tranquillity. Do you know what they call a hammock strung between two pine trees here in Florida — a moving mosquito target. Some say that the mosquito is our state bird. The strange thing for us is that in our part of Florida, mosquitos are rare. I call the hammock tranquillity.

What is your mind’s eye picture of tranquillity? Maybe it’s a day’s vacation — for your boss! Maybe it’s a day all to yourself — no kids, no spouse — just you. For me, this picture sounds good: sitting on the porch of a mountainside chalet in Switzerland overlooking a valley of lush grass while listening to old records of the YPCA quartet! (some of you younger ones are asking, “what’s a record?” Ask grandpa.)

Dream your own tranquil setting, but for most of us, that’s all it will be — a dream. The goal is to discover tranquillity right now in real time. Paul had the right idea when he said this in Philippians 4:11 (NIV) “… for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Don’t you wish we could reach that state? Notice that he said “learned.” It doesn’t come naturally — you have to work at it. It’s a worthy goal.

I believe that our personal tranquillity come first from a strong faith in God through Jesus Christ, but also through an attitude change that allows us to look for the positive things in life and dwell on them. There’s a lot of negativity in the air — avoid it! Tranquillity is achievable — go for it.

If money can’t buy you happiness, what do you do? If you’re Austrian millionaire Karl Rabeder, you give it all away, right down to the last penny, or, in his case, euro.

“My idea is to have nothing left. Absolutely nothing,” Rabeder, 47, told The Daily Telegraph of London. “Money is counterproductive – it prevents happiness to come.”

On the block, or already sold, is his luxury villa with lake in the Alps, his 42-acre estate in France, his six gliders, and the interior furnishings and accessories business that got him rich in the first place.

Actually, everyone will get the chance to live the Alpine luxury lifestyle, because Rabeder has decided to raffle off his home at $134 a ticket.

When every penny of his estimated $4.7 million fortune is gone, he says, he intends to move into a small wooden hut in the mountains or a studio in Innsbruck.

“For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness,” Rabeder said. “I come from a very poor family where the rules were to work more to achieve more material things, and I applied this for many years.”

After a while, however, he felt he was working “as a slave for things I did not wish for or need,” adding, “I have the feeling that there are a lot of people out there doing the same thing.”

What brought him to his current conclusion? A three-week vacation with his wife in Hawaii, plus gliding trips to South America and Africa left him with feelings of guilt, he said, and the sense that there was a connection between his wealth and the poverty of the people he saw.

“It was the biggest shock of in my life, when I realized how horrible, soulless and without feeling the five-star lifestyle is,” he was quoted as telling the Telegraph.

Since selling off some of his possessions, with lots more looking for buyers, Rabeder says he has felt “free, the opposite of heavy,” which was the feeling all his wealth gave him.

All his money will go to the non-profit Mymicrocharity, which Rabeder says he has set up to offer small loans to needy people in Central and South America, and to encourage development and self-employment in the region.