Philippians 4:11, 12 (NIV) I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned 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. COMMENTARY PEARLS Contented In Christ We live in a society permeated by discontent. Commercials condition us to be envious. The real issue, though, is not so much the society we live in but the state of our own hearts and minds. We're drawn away from contentment by so much which clamors for our attention: titles, possessions, influence, or fame. Yet all of these and more seek to rob us of any sense of joy in what God has given us, persuading us that it will never be enough. The chase is never-ending. Paul, though, could say not only that he was content but that he could be content "in whatever situation I am." This is what everyone is searching for! What was the secret, then? It was to ground his sense of self and his outlook on life in the sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul didn't champion a stiff upper lip in the face of hardship or offer a false gospel of self-sufficiency. No, his contentment was the result of bowing his heart and mind to God's will, no matter what conditions he faced. Not everyone has lived on both sides of the Street. Not everyone knows how the other half lives. But Paul did. He knew what it was to be warm and fed, and he knew what it was to be cold and naked. If he had derived contentment from his circumstances, his life would have been a constant roller-coaster ride, leaving him intoxicated by wonderful luxuries one minute and overwhelmed by their absence the next. Such a fickle spirit would have neutralized Paul, making him unable to serve Christ. Paul was a normal man with normal needs. In a letter to Timothy from a dungeon in Rome, Paul wrote, "Do your best to come to me soon ... Bring the cloak ... the books, and above all the parchments" (2 Timothy 4:9, 13). He had been deserted by others and lacked certain possessions. Yes, Paul wanted things like clothing, books, and company - but he knew he would be fine without them, for his peace rested in something greater. Like Paul, YOUR CONTENTMENT CAN AND SHOULD ULTIMATELY BE GROUNDED IN YOUR UNION WITH JESUS. Refuse any ambition other than belonging to Him and remaining entirely at His disposal. When you know Christ and how wonderful He is - that He is your all in all, more precious than silver, more costly than gold, more beautiful than diamonds, and that nothing you have compares to Him - the way you view your circumstances and the measure of your contentment will be completely transformed. [Truth for Life by Alistair Begg] On a recent family beach vacation, we watched hermit crabs swap shells. Several hermit crabs were crawling around, so we lined them up near an empty shell, biggest to smallest. Sure enough, the largest hermit crab, first in line, started checking out the empty shell. He must have liked it because suddenly he popped out of his shell and stuck his worm-like rear-end into the new shell. He found something bigger and better. This started a chain reaction. Each hermit crab crept out of its current home and plopped into the empty shell in front of it. We're not that different from hermit crabs. We live in a culture that encourages bigger and better. Whether it's a job, home, vacation, car, or mountain to climb, we spend enormous amounts of time, money, and energy looking for what's bigger and better. I have. We moved from a small apartment to bigger homes. I wrote books, hoping each one would outsell the last. We planned vacations, seeking bigger and better experiences. It's an exhausting, vicious cycle. Paul wrote incredible wisdom about this empty desire, while in a dank, dark prison. He had learned the SECRET TO CONTENTMENT: KNOWING JESUS. Paul experienced wealth and poverty. He knew without a doubt that nothing brings the lasting satisfaction we crave except knowing Jesus. He closed this chapter in Philippians with the promise, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus" (v. 19, NIV). Let's stop struggling for more and discover true contentment found only in Jesus. Jeannie Blackmer Faith Step: Read Philippians 4. Meditate on it and find contentment in Jesus. [Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] COMMENTARY Finding Satisfaction God has provided us with many things to enjoy. But too often our lives are filled with turmoil instead of contentment. Four practices that create dissatisfaction are Busyness. We live in a hurry-up society, dashing from one activity to another. Jesus did not rush anywhere, yet He accomplished whatever God gave Him to do. Not once did He tell His followers to move faster. He even praised Mary for choosing to stop her work and spend time with Him (Luke 10:39, 42). Earthly perspective. Too often we live focused on our circumstances. Our minds think about what happened earlier in the week, whats on todays agenda, and the activities occurring next week, month, or year. No wonder enjoyment of life remains elusive. The solution is to have an eternal perspective, which acknowledges that God is in charge and our goal is to please Him. Self-imposed pressure. We have all experienced the unavoidable burdens of schoolwork, employment, and relationships. But we bring needless pressure on ourselves when we allow unnecessary musts and shoulds to rule us. The remedy is to turn to God, acknowledge His right to order our days, and ask for His plan. Unhealthy attitudes. Perfectionism, false guilt, and apathy all undermine our enjoyment of life. Satisfaction is found in a life that reflects Gods priorities - and time with Him comes first. Reading His Word, we become mindful of the Fathers great love, learn what He views as important, and experience the joy of belonging to Him. When contentment is elusive, its time to examine our priorities. [In Touch Daily Devotional by Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org] Secret to Contentment Paul is under house arrest in rented quarters; he refuses to focus on that. He is far from home, and his future is uncertain; he doesn't let that concern him. He is bound to a Roman guard every day; no problem. Because he has made Christ the object of his life, contentment has replaced frustration. He's taught himself to live above his circumstances. The benefits? First, the progress of the gospel is accelerated; it's never delayed. In his letter to the Christians in Philippi, Paul passionately confesses, "I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel" (Philippians 1:12). Because of Paul's attitude regarding his predicament, his testimony spread like a firestorm through the ranks of the Roman guard. Systematically, God's Spirit leveled the towering pride of the Roman military. Second, when you live above your circumstances, the edge of the message is sharpened; it's never dulled. Paul exclaimed that his chains had become the reason the entire palace guard had come under the hearing of the gospel. That was no insignificant statistic. By Paul's account, the message of Christ's love permeated the ranks of the imperial guard, which some scholars suggest were as many as nine thousand. Amazingly, the revival started with one Roman soldier chained to one man - but not just any man. That forced union became a springtide of grace to the whole Praetorian Guard. There's a third benefit to living above your circumstances: the courage of others is strengthened, never weakened. Paul's unlikely converts were not sheepish about their newfound faith in Christ. I take it that they didn't hold back. Rather, they grew increasingly more courageous in their witness. I find that so exciting! The secret to Paul's contentment did not emerge from a manual on how to live the Christian life or from a workshop on positive thinking. He didn't have access to a stack of self-help scrolls promising to shore up his sagging self-confidence. PAUL'S SECRET WAS NOT FOUND IN A PROGRAM, BUT IN A PERSON. Christ made the difference. He taught His servant to endure all situations, every circumstance, each difficult challenge, no matter how adverse, through His power. Paul released all rights to His Master and, in turn, He released all the strength Paul needed. [Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org.] I suffer from bouts of discontent, times when I seem to focus on what's lacking in my life rather than on what abounds, which, by most standards, is plenty. Take where I am today. We recently moved to the Florida Gulf Coast, a physical paradise and the fulfillment of a dream for me and my husband, Ray. Many of our prayers have been answered. We found a wonderful, affordable home in a beautiful community. Our children are adjusting more quickly than we hoped. Ray and I are also meeting wonderful people with whom we already feel close affinity. I have made some excellent freelance contacts. Ray has landed a gratifying job. We found a great church just minutes away. We can clearly see God's hand in so many things. Yet I find something to long for. If only our community had basketball courts for my ten-year-old athlete. If only my husband's job paid more. If only we had room for a kayak This speaks to the misguided expectation of perfection I have that will never be, this side of heaven. Unlike Jesus, Who lived a simple, sacrificial life, I grumble through even the best of times. Gratitude fills my half-empty cup. By focusing on the many promptly answered prayers and their virtues, I can see more clearly that my cup overflows. by Isabella Yosuico Faith Step: If you haven't already, start a prayer journal, handy for noting prayers and concerns. When prayers are answered, check them off and make a point of thanking Jesus for those blessings, every day. [Mornings With Jesus 2018 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] CLOSING PEARL Everything You Need Are you hoping that a change in circumstances will bring a change in your attitude? If so, you are in prison, and you need to learn a secret of traveling light. What you have in your Shepherd is greater than what you dont have in life. May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: I will be happy when ________________? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am married. When I am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that statement? Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this. If your ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the situation never changes, could you be happy? If not, then you are sleeping in the cold cell of discontent. You are in prison. And you need to know what you have in your Shepherd. You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com] YOUR COMMENTS If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT Most Important Decision in Life: http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: https://stepstopeace.org/ Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782 Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ Amazing Facts Bible Studies: http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study Guides: https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/ LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/ Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657 Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE