Saturday, March 27, 2021

On CONTENTMENT

 

Hebrews 13:5 

King James Version

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.


God knows what you need.

Scripture testifies of it.

Matthew 6:31-32 (KJV)

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, 

What shall we eat? or, 

What shall we drink? or, 

Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) 

for your heavenly Father knoweth 

that ye have need of all these things.


He doesn't want you going crazy over self, what others have (and you may not have), or on possessions.

For possessions will possess you.

Self-absorption, envy, and greed will defile you.

And you lose sight of God.

You will have sold your soul to the devil, to acquire what you think you need.

Just so you can meet the world's standards.

Until you find yourself so far away from God, it will take God's grace to get you back.

For the devil will tempt you, non-stop, creating new enticement each time.

It's the oldest game.

Has just taken many forms.

Why do we keep falling for it?

Are all these possessions worth the separation from God?

Consider acquisition as a form of addiction.

A mouth that can never be fed enough.

It's a crocodile farm in itself.

Listen to what one man asked of Jesus:

Luke 12:13 (KJV)

13 And one of the company said unto him, 

Master, 

speak to my brother, 

that he divide the inheritance with me.


Have we gone that low?

That we ask the Son of God -- the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS -- to intercede in our behalf, over earthly possessions, when it's these very things He asks us not to possess?

Have we gone mad?

May this not be our prayer when we ask God for something.


Of course, the Lord Jesus made a defining statement:

Luke 12:14-15 (KJV)

14 And he said unto him, 

Man, 

who made me a judge or a divider over you?

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.


Covetousness is idolatry.

Colossians 3:5 (KJV)

5 Mortify therefore your members 

which are upon the earth

fornication, 

uncleanness, 

inordinate affection, 

evil concupiscence, 

and covetousness, 

which is idolatry:


How God hates idolatry!

So much so, it is His FIRST commandment.

Which man keeps breaking.

Exodus 20:3 (KJV)

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.


The kingdom of God has no room for idolaters and covetous people.

You know what people do when they covet something.

They lie, steal, murder, or sell their soul.

Such will not be allowed in the new city of God, the new Jerusalem.

Revelation 22:14-15 (KJV)

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, 

that they may have right to the tree of life, 

and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, 

and sorcerers, 

and whoremongers, 

and murderers, 

and idolaters, 

and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.


We must be content with what we have.

Where we're all going, we won't need anything.

But GOD.

We must constantly pray, for what God's will is for us.

Only God knows what we need.

Let's not rely on what the world feeds us.

We will be bombarded with useless, godless things.

We will give in to greed, jealousy, vanity.

All poison for the soul.

How can we doubt that God provides, and has provided?

True believers in Jesus, true born agains, have no need for worldly things that weigh down the soul.

If anything, these are impediments to praise.

We worship God alone.

We do not worship things of the world.

We have faith in God's promises.

Our TOTAL focus is on GOD.

On doing His will.

What we need, God provides.

Listen to what Jesus said:

Luke 12:22-34 (KJV)

22 And he said unto his disciples, 

Therefore I say unto you, 

Take no thought for your life, 

what ye shall eat; 

neither for the body, 

what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, 

and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: 

for they neither sow nor reap; 

which neither have storehouse nor barn; 

and God feedeth them: 

how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought 

can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, 

why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: 

they toil not, 

they spin not; 

and yet I say unto you, 

that Solomon in all his glory 

was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, 

which is to day in the field, 

and to morrow is cast into the oven; 

how much more will he clothe you, 

O ye of little faith?


Trust in the perfection of God.

Believe in His Son, Jesus.

Listen to the Holy Spirit.

And remember these verses, every time you feel poor, forgotten, dejected, defeated, doubtful, or lost:

Luke 12:30-31 (KJV)

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: 

and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; 

and all these things shall be added unto you.


When you are born again, the LORD is all that matters.

When you're not, expect all kinds of enticements.

Which are not of God.

Being born again brings contentment.

I assure you of that, beyond any maximum percentages.

For the Lord's GRACE cannot be measured.


Updated 26 January 2022


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