How To Be CONTENT In Your LIVING And GIVING

How To Be CONTENT In Your LIVING And GIVING Philippians 4:10-13; Selected Scriptures By D.Z. Cofield, Th.M., D. Min. June 4, 2023 Responsive Reading – Proverbs 22:7 (ESV), 22-27 (NLT2) Leader: 7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Congregation: 22 Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court. Leader: 23 For the LORD is their defender. He will ruin anyone who ruins them. Congregation: 24 Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hottempered people, Leader: 25 or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. Congregation: 26 Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else. Everyone: 27 If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you. Jack Whittaker David Lee Edwards William Post Evelyn Basehore Billie Bob Harrell Jr. YOU ARE IN DEBT WHEN YOU SPEND MORE THAN YOU MAKE. YOU ARE IN DEBT WHEN YOU SAY YES TO YOURSELF MORE THAN YOU SHOULD. 1. You must realize becoming CONTENT is something you must LEARN, not something you are BORN with. Philippians 4:10-11 (ESV) – I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Learned – Content – Proverbs 14:30 (CEV) – It’s healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up. Proverbs 30:7-9 (ESV) – Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. 2. You need to realize you can achieve a state of CONTENTMENT despite the CIRCUMSTANCES you find YOURSELF in. Philippians 4:12 (NLT) – I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. A. Contentment is possible whether you have SOMETHING or NOTHING. Luke 12:15 (NLT) – Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” B. Contentment is possible regardless of the SITUATION you find YOURSELF in. Ecclesiastes 5:10 (TEV) – If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NLT) – Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Ecclesiastes 6:9 (NLT) – Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind. 3. You need to realize your ability to be CONTENT is only achievable when you DEPEND upon CHRIST. Philippians 4:13 (NLT) – For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-17 (ESV) – I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your conce...