Is it enough?

My last blog post for 2017 is about a quality of life that we praise much but practice less;  one we know is a key to the best possible life but that many of us reject most of the time.  Here it is - "Godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6, ASV)  Do you understand what it means to be ‘content?’ More, bigger, and best is as American as apple pie, isn’t it?  A person who can honestly say “I have enough. This job provides all that I need. I have no wants.” is a rare creature. Some might even think that he lacks ambition or vision.

Trained as consumers, we have appetites for more – some new experience, a new culinary delight, another car, a new suit, a novel spirituality. In all this seeking for ‘new’ we can, and many do, lose sight of what God is doing in us and through us today.  I am not pointing an accusing finger at anyone. It is a constant temptation for me, too;  discontent stealing the joy of the moment as I imagine what life might be ‘if only’ …  Let’s go back to that line from Paul quoted a moment ago.  "A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God." (1 Timothy 6:6, The Message)

Contentment will not just find us. It is learned, a way of life we chose. "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13, NIV)  That passage is so rich.  Paul does not ask us to deny reality. He acknowledges that there are places of need in his life, that he has experienced hunger and hardship.  But, instead of railing against those things as ‘disappointments,’ he sees them as invitations to experience the FULLNESS of Christ Jesus.  And, so can we!

Basic to living a contented life is to understand our true PURPOSE.  We can get so caught up in raising our children, doing our job, maintaining our stuff – that we forget our singular reason for existence is to glorify God in all that we are, all that we say, and all that we do. Even our “Christianity” can get turned inside out if we make it means to try to be more respected or better adjusted or happier. Christ Jesus did not invite us into a ‘self-help’ program. He welcomed us into the family of God – loving us where we are, as we are, with the promise that His love will heal us and allow a beauty to shine out of us that is unattainable in any other way.

He reminds us that the lie of materialism must be exposed. “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15, NIV)  “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus." (Luke 16:13-14, NIV)  Do you believe His words? Be honest with yourself.

There are choices to be made to find a contented life. "Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires." (Psalm 37:3-4, NLT)  

1. Trust!  Will you hold out your life, all of it, to Him and trust Him totally?
2. Do good!   Love, serve, give, forgive, encourage, refuse to ‘play games’ and to try to impress.
3. Delight in the Lord!   This week my grandson, age 3, is in my house this week. He laughs at the simplest things:  when Grandpa talks like Donald Duck, when Mom promises a bubble bath, when we dance a silly little dance together in the kitchen. His delight is contagious and I find myself joyful.

Are you able to delight in God’s simple gifts; a sunrise, the love of a friend, the sense of peace that comes from sins forgiven?

Contentment!  It is not a secret only for an elite group of people. It is not beyond you – be you rich or poor, healthy or sick, young or old.  Consider the invitation and pray to begin to learn how to live in this beautiful life.  "Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear." (Luke 12:22, NLT)  "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." (Luke 12:30-31, NLT)

Pray with me, as we close this thought today.

Abba, You are Enough;
enough for my life, enough for my past, enough for my future.
Reveal the lies of the Enemy, as old as Eden, that tries to have me

believe that a happier, fuller life can be found ‘if only.’
Open my eyes to Your Presence today.
Put a new song in my heart, one that comes from a child-like trust.

Jesus Christ, I thank you that You have given me a complete salvation,

That I am ‘at peace’ with my Father.  Bring that reality into ever greater evidence.

Thank you for the trials, for the blessings, for the challenges and the answers.

May I learn to be content so that Your radiance can shine brightly through me.

In Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen

Stubborn or Persistent?

One of the by-products of being physically ill is that all of life looks more difficult, right? Three weeks ago, a tenacious infection settled into my lungs and with it came fever, cough, exhaustion, and yes – discouragement.  “Why bother?” I thought. “What’s the use?” I wondered.

Mental health experts confirm that chronic illness is often accompanied by discouragement and, in many cases, depression. Even though I am well aware of that, a sense of futility wrapped itself around my soul. Has this happened to you? Have you encountered a time of illness, or a difficult set of circumstances, or been locked into an emotional struggle that left you tired, feeling alone, and wondering why try to go on?

In those moments, the Holy Spirit brought the Word to mind that calls on all disciples to a quality variously called patience, endurance, perseverance, and/or waiting.  Peter, in a list of characteristics of the Christian life includes this line. You need “patient endurance." (2 Peter 1:6, NLT)  The writer of Hebrews tells us to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1, NIV) James points to the suffering saint of the Old Testament as an example: "As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." (James 5:11, NIV)

A clue to the meaning of the call is found in the word used in the first Greek text of the New Testament. That word is hupomone, a compound word that if translated literally would mean, ‘to stand up to the weight, to face the pressure.’  What is our natural tendency when things get rough, when we are overwhelmed? It is to find a way out, to run, to escape into some other place.  The Lord’s call is that we take courage, stand, and face the trial! Don’t quit.

So, what’s the difference between endurance and stubbornness?
A stubborn person digs in, becomes defensive, and refuses to adapt.
A persistent one focuses on positive change, looking for ways to meet the challenge and use it to create a new outcome.

There is a old story about Thomas Edison and the invention of the light bulb. He had a vision to create a filament that would glow when electricity passed through it, creating light. He wanted to make electricity so accessible that 'only the rich will burn candles.' He made thousands of bulbs, each burning out quickly, failure after failure. Some of his scientists told him his dream was not attainable, that he was trying to do the impossible. But, he persisted and finally found the combination that made a bulb that lasted. Supposedly when he was asked about all those failures, Edison replied, "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

Here at the end of 2017,  as you reflect on choices made, remember the importance of patient endurance.  Perhaps you have enjoyed a wonderful year, full of new friends, prosperity, and good health. If so, give thanks to God, share your joy and look to the New Year with a prayer to use those blessings for His purposes.  Just maybe you are looking back on some disappointments, on some hardships that continue to be a point of pain. Endure, not stubbornly, but persistently.

The word from the Word is a promise, not for smooth paths and trouble-free days, but about God’s unfailing goodness. Meditate on it. Let the truth inform your mind and inspire your heart.

"Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31, NLT)
____________

Abba, keep us on our feet, engaged in the work of Your kingdom.Protect us from the lies that grow in our weariness,
from despair whispered by the father of darkness.Shine brightly in us and may our trust in You bring us new strength,renewed vision, and patient endurance that sees Your purpose accomplished. 

May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done,This we pray in the Name of our Savior. Amen

The Beauty of Maturity

When I was parenting teenagers I felt a tension. My children had training and discipline so I was confident that they could act independently.  At the same time, all teens deal with impulse issues. A part of the brain that connects choice and consequence is not fully developed until around the age of 21. So, when you hand him the keys to the car, you may be confident in his ability to operate the automobile's controls, but you're much less confident about his good judgment. Dr. Henry Cloud writes, "It is one thing to drive safely when you look in the rearview mirror and see a policeman. That is external feedback. It is another thing to drive safely when you're out on the road by yourself. That is maturity." (Integrity, Collins, 2006) Now, my children are fully adult and mature. What joy I have when I spend time with them, seeing the beauty that comes from that maturity, the ability to say ‘yes’ to the best and to reject temptation to things that would take a toll.

Here at year’s end, let’s think for a few moments about maturity.

Many Christians who ought to be consistently making decisions that lead to a Christ-honoring life in reality are still spiritual teens, in the grip of their emotions and impulses. Their appetites rage out of control. They appear to be unable to step up to the inconvenient, the unpleasant, or the difficult choices today that would lead them to a better life tomorrow. One of the directions to disciples is “Grow up! Stop being childish.”

Paul tells us to "...be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. (and then) ...we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, ...Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes." (Ephesians 4:13-23, NLT)

Do you see the keys to maturity that are revealed in that passage?

Vision.

Look at Christ. Study His life and measure yourself by Him! We won't grow up if we are content to use lesser standards.

Truth.

Know the truth, accept the truth, and relentlessly insist on living in the truth - even when it's not pleasant.

Choice.
Understand that there is right and there is wrong! Then choose. Note the strong action phrase, "throw off your old evil nature." If we want to grow up, we cannot just be passive, waiting for someone to do the hard work for us. We must take the old ways off like old dirty clothes and toss them aside in the trash!

Then the same passage says this - "...put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24, NIV) The Word is not telling us to 'put on' as in pretending to be someone we are not, as an actor 'puts on' a costume or makeup to change his appearance. Rather we are to take Christ and put the life He gives us in place in our life! We are called to take the steps necessary to change our behavior so that we are truly holy.

As this year closes, I want to encourage you to 'grow up!' If you're making excuses for eating too much, having a mouth that is out of control, not serving, not giving, or living a life centered around ‘fleshly’ appetites - Stop!  The truth is that because Christ is Lord and the Spirit resides in those who love Him, we can declare "I am 'in charge' of Me!"  Meditate on the Truth of the Word. It’s a hopeful and uncompromising call to maturity in Christ.

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:9-17, NIV)

Who does God want you to be? That’s vision.

What does God say about life?  That’s truth.

How does the Christ-life look on you? That’s choice.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to practice the disciplines of grace that create openings into your soul where you are changed from the inside out. "So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; ... let's get on with it." (Hebrews 6:1, 3 The Message)

There is MORE

Her bitter words poured out like acid, burning, accusatory. She told me about the rage that made her miserable for 20 years! Knowing the story, I could empathize because the time of which she spoke was one of awful disappointment and pain. My greater sorrow for her was that she had become stuck in that place, the sin and pain of it festering like an untreated wound, infecting her life.  Later, as I thought over the conversation and prayed for her, I asked the wisdom of the eternal Spirit for my own life.  “Reveal to me, Lord of eternity, those places where I have lost sight of You, where I have left things unresolved, where I have refused Your invitation to grow in grace.”

In this final week of 2017, I encourage you to do some emotional and spiritual housecleaning. With the help of the Spirit, consider what should be thrown out, who needs to be forgiven, where things need to be made strong, and – most important of all – how you can keep a future focus.  A vision for life, that is secured in the promise of God, and formed around the assurance of eternal life is a critical component of the disciple’s life.

In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul talks about the story arc of his life. He had been scrupulous in religious zealotry, morally attentive to God’s Law. But then came that encounter with the Living Christ on the road to Damascus that upended his life. In that grace awakening, Saul, the Pharisee died and Paul, the Christian disciple was born.  That man gave himself, without reserve, to the pursuit of God and the Kingdom. He was never content to sit around and review the past – regrets or accomplishments – however.

He says,  "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV)

What can we take from those lines today?

First –  There is MORE!

Regrets or awards, 18 or 88, it is not time to sit down and say, “I have experienced all God has for me.” Each season has it’s own opportunities in the life of the Christ-follower. Is your hand extended to receive what God is offering, or is it closed around what you have come to think is ‘all there is?’

Second – The past cannot be relived and must be left behind.

Paul is not suggesting that who he was or what he had done was unimportant or even irrelevant. He was acknowledging the fact that to try to recapture yesterday is an exercise in futility. We learn from it, we celebrate it, we make restitution where necessary – but we refuse to walk backwards into the future!

Third- Lean into eternity!

The image behind Paul’s words is that of a runner approaching the end of a race, every part of his body reaching for the finish line. Jesus urges us to ‘lay up treasure in Heaven.’ In another passage, Paul reminds us that "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8, NIV)

Only God knows, truthfully, what is in store in 2018.  As we follow Him, led by the Spirit, there is no need for fear, no lack of provision, and every good gift for His is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20, NIV)

Here is the word from the Word. As you confess, ‘there is MORE,’ may this promise keep you fruitful and effective in the Kingdom.

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises…. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:3-5, 10, NLT)

_________

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me save that Thou art

Thou my best thought by day or by night

Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom and Thou my true Word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord

Thou my great Father I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

High King of heaven my victory won

May I reach heaven's joys bright heaven's Sun

Heart of my own heart whatever befall

Still be my Vision O Ruler of all

Eleanor Henrietta Hull

© Words: Public Domain

Jerry D. Scott, Pastor

Faith Discovery Church

www.FaithDiscovery.com