Category Archives: Contentment

Grateful For What??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #567

28 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Confidence, Contentment, Gratitude, Kindness, Thankful

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #567   Grateful For What???

 

Just a short word this morning to remind each of us to never forget to be grateful!  An attitude of gratitude will affect our whole outlook; when we are grateful to God, when we show gratitude to our family members, when we express thankfulness to those we encounter.

A grateful heart will help us focus on others more than ourselves!  And that, my friends, is always a lesson worth reminding ourselves of.

“Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing

18 In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus

concerning you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

David rejoiced in his God because he had experienced His faithful provision, protection and power!  What do you have to thank God for?

“O give thanks unto the LORD;

for he is good;

 for his mercy endureth for ever.”  1 Chronicles 16:34

God in His love and mercy toward us has given us Jesus to save us, lead us, grow us in grace, truth and love into children of God who bring HIM glory.

“And we know that all things work together

for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.”   Romans 8:28-29

Oh, how grateful I am for God’s mercy and longsuffering toward us.  I can hardly go one day without thanking Him for touching me, saving me, and growing me in His Word, His grace, His power and His love!  Without Him I would have nothing to be thankful for!  But with Him, I can rejoice every day—in Who He Is and all He is doing in me, for me, through me—all helping me to “be conformed to the image of his Son”!  How could I not rejoice and thank HIM always?  All because HE loves me enough to send Jesus to pay for my sin!  And He’ll do the same for you—He isn’t slow, but He does want people to be saved!

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,

as some men count slackness;

but is longsuffering

to us-ward,

not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come to repentance.”   2 Peter 3:9

Will you join me today in thanking HIM for all HE does for us?  And then don’t forget that special phrase as you encounter folks today!  Thank You!  You can use it at the bank, as you shop, at the local café, at home, to all as you have opportunity.

“And the Lord make you to increase

and abound

in love

one toward another,

and toward all men,

even as we do

toward you:”    1 Thessalonians 3:12

And we can do all this in HIS power, remembering that, “without me ye can do nothing.”  (See John 15:5)!  Thank YOU, and thank YOU Jesus!  Praying that each of you have a blessed day as you remember to express thanks to God continually, and others as you have opportunity.  There may be a waitress out there who needs a word of encouragement, or a bank teller, or a store clerk, or a co-worker, or employer (just because they’re the boss, doesn’t mean that they don’t need a word of encouragement or an expression of gratitude!)—so go to it!!!  And a smile helps almost everything!

“And be ye kind

one to another,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

even as God

for Christ’s sake

hath forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:32

 

Amen and Amen!

 

 

Contentment Or Greed??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #511

28 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Contentment

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #511 Contentment Or Greed???

 

It’s that time of year again—time when people’s attention turns to shopping, and spending and getting and giving, yet it’s so easy to forget the very “One” that we are supposed to be celebrating—Jesus’ incarnation and birth—and be caught up in the glitter, tinsel and greed around us. God calls us to a higher plain, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas time, but also in our every day living. Yet in a world gone crazy with “designer” stuff—“techno” gizmos—and just more and more and more, we must truly make a conscious effort to keep our heart and mind in check to biblical living. So I’d like to simply share a few words from scripture to help us refocus on the important things; for we will find that the issues which we face today aren’t much different than those which have been around for a long time!!!

“If any man teach otherwise,

and consent not to wholesome words,

even the words

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and to the doctrine

which is according to godliness;

4 He is proud,

knowing nothing,

but doting about questions

and strifes of words,

whereof cometh envy,

strife,

railings,

evil surmisings,

5 Perverse disputings

of men of corrupt minds,

and destitute of the truth,

supposing that gain is godliness:

from such withdraw thyself.

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

Paul reminded Timothy that there were those who twist God’s Word then, and he is reminding us that the same is true today! We must be aware and strive to guard our hearts from these things, and focus on “godliness with contentment”, for in God’s eyes that “is great gain”! Yet most of what we see and hear today—especially on any kind of ‘media’—pushes us to get ‘this’ new thing, buy the ‘bigger’ thing, the ‘newer’ thing, or the ‘latest’ version of whatever it is! But God is calling us to contentment! Now there is nothing wrong with ‘new’ things, there’s nothing wrong with having ‘new’ and ‘nice’ “things”—the problem comes when the ‘things’ begin to have us! Then the great green monster of greed will try to move in and take over!

“For the love of money

is the root

of all evil:

which while some coveted after,

they have erred

from the faith,

and pierced themselves through

with many sorrows.

11 But thou,

O man of God,

flee these things;

and follow after

righteousness,

godliness,

faith,

love,

patience,

meekness.” 1 Timothy 6:10-11

Take note here, Paul didn’t say that “money” is the “root of all evil”, but the “love of money” IS! And that is the issue that we must guard our hearts against! It is the issue that will pull our hearts away from The Lord whom we belong to! I pray that you will take some time today and consider what is the “delight” of your heart—contentment in Jesus, or the continual longing for “more things”? May we give our hearts totally to God—and that is a full time work! But it is a work of glory and grace!

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;

fornication,

uncleanness,

inordinate affection,

evil concupiscence,

and covetousness, (Greed)

which is idolatry:”   Colossians 3:5

May we truly seek to receive the words of Jesus?

“And Jesus answered him,

The first of all the commandments is,

Hear, O Israel;

The Lord our God

is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thy heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy mind,

and with all thy strength:

this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this,

Thou shalt love thy neighbour

as thyself.

There is none other commandment

greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31

 So one of two things—either love will crowd out the greed from our hearts, or we will foster the greed and it will crowd out the love!!! What are you fostering in your heart today?

But I Can’t Do THAT??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #484

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Confidence, Contentment

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #484 But I Can’t Do THAT???

 

I want to share with you all this morning something that is on my heart. As I was thinking about the difficulty that we face finding contentment in this crazy world of a “Get all you can. Can all you get. Then sit on the can!” mentality, it seems that every one wants more! It is reported that John D. Rockefeller, when asked, “How much money is enough?” responded, “Just a little bit more!” And he is considered by many to be the richest man of modern times, as he was the first “billionaire” in the early 1900’s. But no matter how much “more” we get—it will never be enough to satisfy, especially if “more” is where we are seeking our hope and fulfillment!

Consider the mentality of our culture—advertising is one of the biggest industries in America, trying to convince us that we need the latest, fastest, smartest, most popular techno-toys on the market; receiving exorbitant fees to convince us that we need to eat this “food” of “beauty”, the healthiest new ‘gimmick’ food fad, or the newly tweaked bling that “everyone” has! But God has a different message for us.

“For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37

Peter also wrote on the fleeting nature of this world’s ‘gain’!

“But the day of the Lord will come

as a thief in the night;

in the which the heavens

shall pass away

with a great noise,

and the elements shall melt

with fervent heat,

the earth also

and the works that are therein

shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things

shall be dissolved,

what manner of persons ought ye to be

in all holy conversation

and godliness,

12 Looking for

and hasting unto

the coming of the day of God,

wherein the heavens

being on fire

shall be dissolved,

and the elements

shall melt with fervent heat?”    2 Peter 3:10-12

As life is fleeting, we need to wisely choose to live for Jesus, pursuing a godly attitude and a contented heart and mind.

“But godliness

with contentment

is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing

into this world,

and it is certain we can carry

nothing out.

8 And having food

and raiment

let us be therewith content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8

Paul reminded Timothy to pursue godliness rather than material gain, even as Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount to pursue heavenly treasure! Where is your heart?

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures

upon earth,

where moth

and rust

doth corrupt,

and where thieves

break through

and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures

in heaven,

where neither moth

nor rust

doth corrupt,

and where thieves

do not break through

nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also.”   Matthew 6:19-21

And just one more passage for us to ponder today as we get our mid-week activities checked off of our list.

“Let your conversation

be without covetousness;

and be content

with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do unto me.”    Hebrews 13:5-6

Let’s make sure our confidence is in our God and Savior—not in this world’s ‘gain’! We don’t have to fret or fear—our God is faithful to provide!!! Amen and Amen!