““Godliness with Godliness with Contentment”Contentment”

11stst Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5-6; Philippians 4:11- Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5-6; Philippians 4:11-1313

1st Timothy 6:6-101st Timothy 6:6-10

6 - Godliness with contentment is great gain. 6 - Godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 - For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take 7 - For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. nothing out of it.

8 - But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 8 - But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

9 - People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap 9 - People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ruin and destruction.

10 - For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some 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 people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.pierced themselves with many griefs.

Hebrews 13:5-6Hebrews 13:5-6

5 - Keep your lives free from the love of money 5 - Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." forsake you."

6 - So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my 6 - So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"me?"

Philippians 4:11-13Philippians 4:11-13

11 - I am not saying this because I am in need, for 11 - I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. circumstances.

12 - I know what it is to be in need, and I know 12 - I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. living in plenty or in want.

13 - I can do everything through Him Who gives 13 - I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.me strength.

James 4:2 James 4:2 “We want something “We want something

but don't get it. but don't get it. We kill and covet We kill and covet

but we cannot have but we cannot have what we want what we want

so we quarrel and fight.”so we quarrel and fight.”

““discontent”discontent”

Dr. Marty Seligman Dr. Marty Seligman Professor of Psychology Professor of Psychology

University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

“Mental Illness since WW 2”“Mental Illness since WW 2”

Statistics: Statistics:

people born after 1945 people born after 1945 are 10 times more likely are 10 times more likely

to suffer depression to suffer depression than people born earlierthan people born earlier

Dr. Seligman discovers:Dr. Seligman discovers:

“on the whole, “on the whole, you don't find much depression, you don't find much depression,

in non-Westernized cultures in non-Westernized cultures before they were modernized… before they were modernized…

most primitive cultures most primitive cultures show almost no cases of depression.” show almost no cases of depression.”

Dr. Seligman concludes:Dr. Seligman concludes:“most people in our culture today “most people in our culture today

are caught up in the middle are caught up in the middle of almost complete self-centeredness – of almost complete self-centeredness – their discontented state causes them their discontented state causes them

to be focused on getting what they to be focused on getting what they want want

that leads to unhappiness and un-that leads to unhappiness and un-fulfillment… fulfillment…

… the more we have; the more we … the more we have; the more we want; want;

and all the more, unhappy we become… and all the more, unhappy we become…

discontent is an endless cycle discontent is an endless cycle that gets us nothing but more misery.”that gets us nothing but more misery.”

"Authentic Faith“ "Authentic Faith“ (by, Gary Thomas):(by, Gary Thomas):

““Contentment is nothing more than 'soul rest.' Contentment is nothing more than 'soul rest.' It is satisfaction, peace, assurance, It is satisfaction, peace, assurance,

and a sense of well-being that is cultivated and a sense of well-being that is cultivated by pursuing the right things. by pursuing the right things.

Instead of more power, more money, Instead of more power, more money, more pleasure and more control,...more pleasure and more control,...

we seek an 'abundance' of grace and peace... we seek an 'abundance' of grace and peace... contentment is the opposite of contentment is the opposite of

striving, aching, restlessness, and worry.”striving, aching, restlessness, and worry.”

Two Facts on Contentment:Two Facts on Contentment:

I. I. A Developed A Developed AttitudeAttitude

““contentment”contentment”

= “to be independent or self-sufficient”= “to be independent or self-sufficient”

Bill HybelsBill Hybels::

““Contentment Contentment

has more to do has more to do

with focus than finances.”with focus than finances.”

Dr. John RosemondDr. John Rosemond(Columnist & Psychologist)(Columnist & Psychologist)

““the epidemic of boredom the epidemic of boredom

in our culture in our culture

among suburban affluent among suburban affluent

American kids.”American kids.”

Three polls on “boredom”:Three polls on “boredom”:

(1) Do your kids complain about boredom?(1) Do your kids complain about boredom?

(2) When you were raising your kids, did you hear (2) When you were raising your kids, did you hear them complain about boredom?them complain about boredom?

(3) How many toys did you have growing up?(3) How many toys did you have growing up?

Statistics:Statistics:

the typical the typical

American kidAmerican kid, ,

on average, on average,

5 years of age5 years of age, ,

has has

250 toys250 toys

II. II. A Learned LessonA Learned LessonPhilippians 4:11-12 Philippians 4:11-12

““I have learned to be content I have learned to be content

whatever the circumstances. whatever the circumstances.

I have learned the secret of being content I have learned the secret of being content

in any and every situation, in any and every situation,

whether well fed or hungry, whether well fed or hungry,

whether living in plenty or in want.”whether living in plenty or in want.”

Three Principles of Three Principles of Contentment:Contentment:

A. A. Right ExpectationsRight Expectations

C. S. Lewis:C. S. Lewis:

““If you think of this world as a place If you think of this world as a place

intended simply for your happiness, intended simply for your happiness,

you find it quite intolerable. you find it quite intolerable.

But if you think of this world as a place But if you think of this world as a place

of training and correction, of training and correction,

it's not too bad.”it's not too bad.”

C.S. Lewis:C.S. Lewis:

““this is just the training ground; this is just the training ground;

This is where we prepare This is where we prepare

for the real world for the real world

by accepting Jesus as Savior by accepting Jesus as Savior

and learning to follow Him as Lord, and learning to follow Him as Lord,

spending our temporary lives spending our temporary lives

to do His will and purposes.”to do His will and purposes.”

11stst Corinthians 2:9 Corinthians 2:9

““No eye has seen, No eye has seen,

no ear has heard, no ear has heard,

no mind has conceived no mind has conceived

what God has prepared what God has prepared

for those who love Him.”for those who love Him.”

B. B. Right ThinkingRight Thinking

Romans 12:2Romans 12:2

““Do not be conformed to this world Do not be conformed to this world

but be transformed but be transformed

by the renewing of your mind, by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove that you may prove

what the will of God is, what the will of God is,

that which is good that which is good

and acceptable and perfect.”and acceptable and perfect.”

Eugene Peterson Eugene Peterson (on Romans 12:2)(on Romans 12:2)

““Don't become so well adjusted to your culture Don't become so well adjusted to your culture

that you fit into it without even thinking. that you fit into it without even thinking.

Instead, fix your attention on God; Instead, fix your attention on God;

you'll be changed from the inside out. you'll be changed from the inside out.

Unlike the culture around you, Unlike the culture around you,

always dragging you down always dragging you down

to its level of immaturity, to its level of immaturity,

God brings the best out of you God brings the best out of you

and develops a well-formed maturity in you.”and develops a well-formed maturity in you.”

Ecclesiastes 1:14Ecclesiastes 1:14

“ “All the things that are done All the things that are done

under the sun under the sun

are meaningless, are meaningless,

a chasing after the wind.”a chasing after the wind.”

Luke 12:15 Luke 12:15 ““Watch out! Watch out!

Be on your guard Be on your guard

against all kinds of greed; against all kinds of greed;

a man's life a man's life

does not consist does not consist

in the abundance in the abundance

of his possessions.”of his possessions.”

Ecclesiastes 5:12Ecclesiastes 5:12

““The sleep of a laborer The sleep of a laborer

is sweet, is sweet,

whether he eats little or much, whether he eats little or much,

but the abundance but the abundance

of a rich man of a rich man

permits him permits him

no sleep.” no sleep.”

B. B. Right DesiresRight Desires

Anonymous:Anonymous:

"There are 10 rules "There are 10 rules

for getting rid for getting rid

of the discontentment blues: of the discontentment blues:

Go out and do something Go out and do something

for someone else for someone else

and repeat it and repeat it

nine times!!!"nine times!!!"

Ecclesiastes 3:11Ecclesiastes 3:11

God has “...set eternity God has “...set eternity

in the hearts of men.”in the hearts of men.”

Godliness Godliness with with

Contentment Contentment is is

Great Gain!!!Great Gain!!!