CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN
Introduction:
Press Link to go back to Heartbeat
Lets talk about the human condition. We have such a capacity for good but we also have a capacity for evil. As
Paul has said, For to will is present with us. People have made choices throughout history to be evil on such a deep dark level. That has Christians we think that such a person has to be possessed in order to be so evil.
So what is the deciding factor that makes a person good or evil. Can one word make a difference?
I. REJECTION OF FAITH IN GOD BRINGS THE CONTROL OF SIN:
1. Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
2. In verse 7 it says if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.
3. It says, “unto thee shall be “HIS” desire”meaning whatever sin desires of you to do.
4. For sin will control you, consume you with intense desire.
5. But that is not the end of the sentence, “And thou shalt rule over him.”
6. So sin wants to control you but you must decide against it.
7. When desire consumes you, you could care less about about anyone else but yourself.
8. Pro. 23:7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
9. So we must renew our minds in Christ.
10. Paul warns us about sin for in Romans 7:14 he says I am carnal sold under sin.
11. Romans 8:7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
12. Romans 12: 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
13. Thank the Lord for Romans 7: 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
14. Being chained by sin can be a pretty hopeless situation, you think who can deliver me from this evil.
15. I use to think it was pretty hopeless until the day God unchained me!!!
16. Who wins the carnal nature or God, it depends on who you feed the most?
17. Here’s what I know about emotions!!!
A. Emotions have no intellect so they have to attach themselves to a thought or a consumed purpose.
B. When a person is driven by emotions they will throw all intellect out the window.
18. A Desire is a stretching out after something; a longing:—intense desire.
19. Rodney Carrington says that temptation starts when you are a child.
A. Single scoop of vanilla ice cream, oh boy thanks mommy oh your we’re happy with your single scoop of vanilla
B. Double scoop of chocolate ice cream with Oreos drizzled all over it.
C. Whatttttt, I want some of that
D. As an adult you’re walking with your single scoop of vanilla
E. And you see a double scoop of chocolate with perfectly place M & M’s
F. You say whattttt I want some of that, what you don’t realize is under that double scoop of chocolate ice cream is a old rotten walnut that will give you food poisoning.
20. My son Jonathan about temptation when dating.
21. Sins desire is to have your emotions control you.
22. What you need to know about sin and temptation is that their sole purpose is to breed discontent.
II. GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN
1. So what is the deciding factor that makes a person good or evil. Can one word make a difference?
2. I seriously believe one word can make a difference, that word is CONTENTMENT.
3. Think about it with me.
4. 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain
5. This scripture verse is a very big a deal to you and me in fighting and resisting the enemy.
6. For to be godly is one thing but to be content is a huge advancement in our Christian walk.
7. We must realize that Sins very nature is discontentment
8. If one allows themselves to be controlled by their desires then sin is their master and they are slave to him.
9. As God said to Cain,”Unto thee shall be his desire, but thou shalt rule over him.
10. Thou shalt rule over him!!!
11. The Key word for doing this is contentment.
12. If you are very content with your spouse, with your house, your job, your car and your life in general, what then can the enemy of our souls entice you over?
13. James 1:14every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
14. Notice here in this scripture that every man is drawn away of HIS OWN lust and then enticed or tempted. So if you are godly and content you cannot therefore be drawn away of YOUR OWN lust.
15. Contentment is happy with the boundaries that God has set into place.
16. Sin is not be our master.
a. Control your emotions you control your desire thereby controlling what you do.
b. Why do you think it says, that the just shall live by faith
17. Faith in Gods truth is based on a solid thought life with emotions in check.
18. The serpent caused Adam and Eve essentially to be discontent with their present condition and their place in the garden.
19. Cain was discontent and had to kill his brother Abel because he opened the door to sin and sin controlled his desires or emotions which caused him to do something incredibly stupid.
20. Because he allowed sin to be master over him.
21. Paul figured out how powerful content is in the Christian life.
22. Phil 4: 11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
23. Trials and temptations come upon us because of our discontentment.
24. So walking in truth and being content is indeed great gain.
25. For contentment makes us strong in the Lord against all the fiery darts of the evil one.
26. It makes resisting the devil and he will flee from us a lot easier to implement.
27. We must consume our thoughts with God’s truth.
28. Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
29. We have to choose to walk by faith, to put our desires our emotions our sin in check.
30. To purposefully allow the peace of God to rule in our hearts and let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.
31. As men to men we also gain accountability and strength from one another.
Intimacy With Christ 