How To Live In Godly Contentment
Without Anxiety

I Timothy 6:6-8, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Hebrews 13:5, "[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."

Philippians 4:6-13, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Introduction:

A. There is No Way for you to be content in this world Without Obeying Certain Laws:

1. Law Enforcement Officers, Lic.,

2. Government Laws, I.R.S., etc.

3. School, Employment, Parents, etc.

4. Debt, ...

B. In the same sense, there are Spiritual Conditions that must be met in order to Live In Contenment:

C. Paul was one of the Best Balanced Personalities --- and Most Contented man in the entire world --- we will notice some Characteristics of his life.

I. Be Sure of Your Salvation!

A. No Christian has ever been able to live in contenment --- without anxiety --- And Not Have the assurance of his salvation.

(( Preachers --- Sunday School Teachers --- etc. ))

B. Can we be sure of our salvation?

1. Paul was --- II Timothy 1:12, "... I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

2. We can be sure --- I John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life,"

C. HOW can we be sure of our salvation?

1. By God's Word --- 1 John 5:13 doesn't say, "These happy feelings have I given you," --- but "These things have I written."

(( Now, What Is Written? ))

2. John 6:37, "... him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

3. John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:"

4. John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

5. Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

6. Hebrews 13:5, "[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."

II. Take A Public Stand For Christ Jesus.

A. Notice how determined Paul was to take a public stand for Christ:

II Corinthians 11:24-28, "Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."

B. God warns us in Mark 8:38, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

1. Follow the Lord in baptism,

2. Attend Church and Prayer Meeting,

3. Talk about Christ,

4. Give your own testimony,

5. Don't hide your Christianity.

C. All who are Truly saved --- Will take a public stand for Christ.

Romans 10:9-11, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

John 10:26-27, "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"

III. Spend Much Time In Prayer And Bible Study.

A. Paul, A Very Contented Person, spent much time in Prayer and Bible Study.

1. He Started His Ministry with a season of Prayer and Study.

Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." --- V. 16-17, "To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus."

2. He not only practiced --- but taught the same.

I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing."

Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

II Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

B. Other Writers taught the same.

I Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:"

Psalms 119:9, {BETH.} "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word." --- V. 105, {NUN.} Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

C. If you want to grow in Grace and Confidence:

1. Meet God every day --- prayer ...

2. Be a Bible Christian ...

3. Never let a day pass without spending some time alone with God.

4. The more you read the Bible --- the more you will want to read!

IV. Turn From All You Know To Be Wrong.

A. Paul turned from all that he knew to be wrong.

II Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

B. Let God, not Sin, reign in your life.

Romans 6:12-14, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."

I John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

I Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]."

C. We should Turn From Evil to good.

Romans 12:9, "[Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."

Isaiah 1:16-17, "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."

D. Known Sin in our lives will Stop God from hearing our prayers.

Psalms 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]:"

Isaiah 59:1-2, "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear."

V. Be Willing To Sacrifice Much.

A. Paul was willing to sacrifice much?

Philippians 3:7-8, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ," --- V. 13-14, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Acts 20:24, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

B. The True Test of discipleship is found in:

Luke 9:57-62, "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain [man] said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

C. But, God Promises in:

Matthew 19:29, "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

VI. Be A Personal Witness For Jesus.

A. Paul was a personal witness for Jesus.

Acts 20:20-21, "[And] how I kept back nothing that was profitable [unto you], but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." --- V. 20:31, "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

B. God Commands us and Empowers us to be witnesses.

Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

C. God warns of Judgment Upon His Children who do not witness.

Ezekiel 33:8, "When I say unto the wicked, O wicked [man], thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

Acts 20:26, "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men]."

VII. Keep Busy In The Lord's Work.

A. Paul kept busy in the Lord's work.

Acts 20:31, "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

II Corinthians 11:28, "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."

B. Jesus kept busy.

Luke 2:49, "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

C. Jesus warns us to keep busy.

John 9:4, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

1. Give out gospel tracts,

2. Don't wait to be asked to do something,

3. Sing in the choir,

4. Help in the young people's work,

5. Attend prayer meeting,

6. Become a personal worker,

7. Teach a Bible School class,

8. Visit the poor, the sick, the imprisoned,

9. Give your testimony,

10. Put first things first.

D. What about my Business and Material things?

I Timothy 5:8, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

A Search For The Truth



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