The Contented Life - Contentment Phillipians4:10-13

The Con



Contented Life - Contentment Phillipians4:10-13 10-19-08



The fisherman story

Put Jesus in the corner

Paul's situation - appreciates the help of the phillipian church



Contentment - the opposite of being contented is being entitled

Are we contented or entitled

When we think we deserve more, it is hard to be happy with what we have

Why do we have so much trouble with this...

Where is Jesus



Contentment in general

Just with general life

Demello stories

Stallion makes him happy, runs away, unhappy

Returns with wild mares...happy, son breaks let, unhppy

Soldiers come to conscripit young mem....happy

We have giiven outside things power over us

Contentment comes from the inside

Where is Jesus?



Shack illustrations - because of our desire to be separte from, ndependent from God, we end up deciding what is good and bad, apart from him

Things hapen in life that we think are good or bad...when Jesus is so far away, we get stuck.



Contentment in difficult circumstances

My father in law had a debilitatin stroke at the age of 52

Loss of a child

Man came down with adisease of the lungs



wh to do-

I hae learned in all circumstances...what has he learned?

Ways to live past circumstances

1. see what isn't - only works sometings

I an not sick, I am not unemployed



If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on you back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you ae richer than 75% of this world.



If you have money in the bank, and in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are amoong the top 8% of the world's wealthy.



If you woke up this morning with more health than illness....you are more blessed than the millions who will not survuve this week.



If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pain of starvation...you are better off than 20 million people in the world.



If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.



2. see what is - look, see the good



a widow lost her home by fire. Her neighbors decided to band together and build her a house. so they asked her what changes she would like in her new home, whhich was to be rebuilt after the style of the old one. She thought about this for a while, and then said: "I'll tell you what - I'd just love to have a window over the kithen sink!"



3. to laugh



in tough times and tough situations, a sense of humor can b gods blessing and can lessen tension and bad feelings and difuse an explosive



that is why after a funeral people like to get together for a party



4. to love



5. to stay in love with Jesus



I can do all things through Christ.

Not simply to believe

But to let him in, to hold him close



1803-1806

first methodist presence in Mo came from Illinois. Broke the law. Crossed the Mississippi rver to preach in French help area. Go stand at the Mississippi reiver. Not on a cliff, but on the banks. what would cause you to paddle across? A chld, grandchild, preach a sermon?



When we have Christ we have a purpose that is bigger than our comfort

We cease trying to remove hardship from out life

and actually welcome hardship for the sake of the gospel



I have learned in al things to be content. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.



A son had lived in America for ears. Half of what he made, he sent back to Poland to help his aging parents who had nothing. fter 20 yers, he returned to visit his mom and pop. His suitcase was filled with money and gifts for them.



Upon his arrival, he was surprised to see that nothing had changed on the farm. For 20 years he had sent money home and the farm lookd the same as the day he left.



He asked his father, what became of all the money that I sent you? Oh, it is here. And he took the son to an old boot in the kitchen that was filled with 20 years of cash and checks.



Did, I sent you a treasure of money, why did you not spend it?

The father said, spend it? On what? We have everyting that we need. We lack for nothing. The garden, the cow, the goat;and the chickens provide us with all that we need. Son, we love you. Take your money ad spend it on someone who does not have what they need.

The American businessman was at the pier of a small Mexican village when a small boat docked. Inside the boat were several large tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on te quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while.

The American then asked why didn't stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his families immediate needs.

The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, I sleep, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maira, stroll into the village each evenng where i sip winw and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senior.

The American scofed, I am a Harvard MBA and I can help you. You should spend more time ishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat, with the proceeds from the bigger boar, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening youor own cannery. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and more to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.

The Mixican fisherman asked, But senior, how long will this all take? To which the American replied, fifteen to 20 years. But what then, senior?

The American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich; you would make millions.

Millions, senior? Then What?

The American said, Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take sieata with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play yoour guitar with your amigos.