Content: January 31, 2011

TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 31, 2012.

CONTENT

DEFINITION:

Satisfied; easy in mind; happy.

SCRIPTURE:

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. Philippians 4:11.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. I Timothy 6:6-7.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The apostle Paul wrote the two verses above, one to the church at Philippi and one to Timothy to help them understand the true meaning of contentment and how to find it. Paul was well educated and held an esteemed position as a Pharisee, yet he willingly gave it all up to serve his Lord and Savior and to preach the message of salvation to the multitudes. As a result he lived a hard life traveling from place to place, with no home and often without food, and suffering great persecution.

So why was he able to write that he could be content in all circumstances? It was because he had learned to rely on God for his contentment. As believers we need to rely on the Lord for contentment as Paul did. When God is blessing us with abundance we are to be content in Him. When we are in a state of crises we are to be content in Him. This is a difficult principle to learn but this is what God wants of us as believers and children of God. It is always easy to be content when all is going well but most difficult in a time of crisis.

We see people all around us today looking to find contentment. Many people spend every moment of their free time sitting in a chair, eating food and watching the television or surfing the web on the computer. For them this is contentment. When the cable or the computer goes out they quickly get frustrated and there goes there contentment.

There are others that are content only when they are working and making money. For others contentment is going places or doing “fun” things. These things are very temporal and do not bring contentment that satisfies for very long.

How many people have you met that are never content. They seem to constantly be complaining. They seem to be lonely and unfulfilled and searching for happiness. They always want more but when they get it they are still not happy. They are basically a “pain in the neck” to their families and friends. The word contentment does not seem to be in their vocabulary, because they have never learned to trust in the Lord and not on “things.”

As believers in Jesus we need to realize that the verse above from I Timothy is so very true. We brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we will carry nothing out. Whatever we have has been given to us from God. When we are thankful for what we have we will be content in whatever state we are in.

We have no control over crises that we may face like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, civil wars or other disasters. God has a reason that He allows us to go through these situations. We may find ourselves in circumstances we are not content to be in but, God will protect us and bless us if we stay true to Him.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:3.

That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:

It is my prayer today that I be content with whatever I face today knowing that You are my Savior and Lord and that You are with me no matter what the circumstance. May I be a leader of my family showing them how to be content in You through every situation, good or bad, that we may face.