December 24, 2024

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

It is possible to have Godly contentment in a consumer driven culture. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

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.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10

As a child of God, the enemy of our soul, our adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. He is set out to do anything and everything that he can to distract, entice and to pull us away from God’s plan and purpose for our life.

And one of those distractions is- the lust of the world.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17

Some think of lust as only looking at a woman or a man with a lustful eye, but it is defined as more than that.

While the Merriam Webster definition of lust does mean usually intense or unbridled sexual desire, it also means an intense longing: craving.https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lust

If there is anything that is enticing us to get our eyes off of the mark- off of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and anything to take our eyes off of the Father of being first place in our life, it has become an idol in our life. We should long for His will, not ours.

We are warned in 1 Timothy 6:9 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

‘Tis the season for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Cyber week. These strategic ads are placed right in front of our face to catch our attention and reel us in to get this new product or that new product. Don’t get to thinking of me as a “grinch” (just yet!) Here me out.

While true this is the season of giving (and receiving the ultimate gift from God, the gift of salvation!), we live in a consumer driven culture.

How can we be content while living in a consumer driven culture?

There are marketing gimmicks at our every turn. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Cyber week, ads displayed on every computer page you go to, FaceBook, Instagram, etc..

Log into any of the social media sites and you can quickly find yourself playing the comparison game and possibly get stuck in the comparison trap.

Have we taken our eyes off of Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith?

Let me encourage you today!

Paul encourages us in 1 Timothy 6:6,7- “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

And Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Be sober and be vigilant.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8

Resist the devil.

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:9

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Submit to God.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Walking in the Spirit.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Dying daily.

Paul said, “I die daily.”

Doing these things will give us the victory over the enemy. Doing these things will help us to not fall into the temptations of discontentment and unhappiness.

Ultimate contentment and true joy and happiness is- is hearing the Father saying “Well done thy good and faithful servant.” Obedience is better than sacrifice.

1 John 2:3-6 tells us-

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

Our love for God is demonstrated in our faithfulness and obedience to Him. I’ve heard it said like this- the cadence of the Christian is “you hear, you do” “you hear, you do”. James 1:22 encourages us to, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

John also tells us in John 14:15–

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
If we are busy being about the Father’s business, do we have time to lust and covet after the things of this world?

My challenge to us.

Change the narrative. In a world full of distractions and consumerism, be a light that is filled with the Glory of God and that is not filled with “stuff”. Look to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. In doing so, the things of this world will grow strangely dim.