The Book of Proverbs
Part 8
A Heart of Contentment
-Being “Content” with the “Right things”
“A heart at peace [Content heart] gives life to the body…”
-Proverbs 14:30
Q: Are you Content/OK with right things?
A: The answer should be “Yes”.
But often we let the right things get overshadowed by wrong things.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. … I have LEARNED the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
-Philippians 4:4-13
5 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
“Again” = b/c it is hard to do be joyful in the midst of hard situations.
“Rejoice” = A mindset of joy that God is working in the midst of unhappy circumstances.
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
-Nehemiah 8:10
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [Present]
Greek word means a “gentle graciousness” responding to the faults of others.
6 “Do not be anxious about anything,…”
Remember that there is nothing that is too difficult for God.
You HAVE peace WITH God.
Work on having the peace OF God.
“Anxiety”
A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
God has you in the palm of his hands
God knows what you are going through
“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls [Broken down walls of Jerusalem while they were in exile] are continually before me.”
- Isaiah 49:16
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
- Isaiah 41:10
“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
- Isaiah 41:13
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me… your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
-Psalm 139:1
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”
- John 10:28,29
Back to Philippians 4
6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Don’t ignore the bad,
But focus on the good.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about SUCH things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.“… 11 I have learned [A process] to be CONTENT whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him [God] who gives me strength.”
-Philippians 4:4-13
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
–Hebrews 13:5
“Godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
-1 Timothy 6:6-10
“Some soldiers asked Jesus, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
-Luke 3:14
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”
-1 Timothy 3:12
“I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”
-Philippians 4:13
The presence of peace is not the absence of stress, it is the presence of Jesus.
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