"You are to be content because you understand that an utterly and totally and infinitely and supernaturally resourceful God will never leave you or forsake you. Contentment is a virtue, contentment is a command." -John MacArthur
As my time in Philippians continues I am more and more encouraged by the letter from Paul; I can't get around the reality that he is writing from prison enduring a ton of persecution and yet writes with such selfless love and joy. In Paul's letter to the church at Philippi he addresses the idea of contentment in the last chapter (4) and we read this phrase, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Paul is making a HUGE statement as he claims to have in essence found the secret of Christian contentment. How can he claim such a thing? And if this really is true, where and how did He obtain this precious thing?
The Bible has a lot to say about contentment, in fact Paul's disciple, Timothy says that with contentment there is GREAT gain. The reality for most Christians however is the lack of contentment, the constant pining after it and yet the despair often times in not finding it consistently. Let's face it, when things are going well for us it is easy to be "content" or so we think we are, and yet we are often tempted to forget the good and gracious God who provided those blessing surrounding us. And then when circumstances and events are not going our way the natural response from the flesh, which often times overtakes the spirit, seems to be this wallowing self-pity, or worry or doubt in the good God and the lack of contentment which soon plagues the heart.
One must realize in reading this letter that Paul is a prisoner in chains as he writes, in fact it gets only worse, he is most likely living with just enough provision to survive, in isolation, and with no ability to minister in the capacity in which he is used to; and yet despite all of this he is claiming contentment and encouraging the brethren in that. Paul himself at this point had just spoke of the idea of Christian consistency or spiritual stability and then he goes into this idea. John MacArthur did a great job in describing what this little word actually means, "By the way, let me comment at least briefly on the word "content." It's a marvelous word. It goes way back to the Greek term which meant to be self-sufficient, to be satisfied, to have enough. The term actually indicates a certain independence, a certain lack of necessity for aid or help. In fact, it was used in some places outside the Scripture to refer to a person who supported himself without anyone's aid. Paul is saying, "I have learned to be satisfied, I've learned to be sufficient in myself, and yet not in myself as myself, but in myself as indwelt by Christ." He had come to spiritual contentment. This particular self-sufficiency had been made a virtue in Greek culture by the Stoics. The Stoics believed that this concept of contentment was reached when you had come to the point of total indifference, when you were indifferent to everything, then and only then would you be content."
So we need to ask ourselves, can we say that no matter what we are content in Christ, fully satisfied?
We must first realize God's providence in our lives. Paul seemed to express His confidence in this more than almost anyone else in all the Bible. Despite the chains, persecutions and hardships he endured He trusted in God's providence over all the affairs of His life. Do we? We may say that we believe God is sovereign and ruling and reigning but to we behave that way? When things don't go our way are we content in Christ and knowing that it is God who is at work even in the midst of that tough, confusing and painful situation? "Providence is a term to indicate that God provides, is connected to the term provide. That God provides but it really means more than that, it means that He orchestrates everything to accomplish His purpose." -John MacArthur. Are you confident, like Paul was, that God is in charge?
Paul also teaches us to find satisfaction in "little". In verse 11 he explains that he is not speaking from "want". He was satisfied with the bear minimum. This is tough for us to grasp and to even write or talk about because of the culture and society in which we live, where we abound with much more than we need. Now I am not saying that we shouldn't enjoy the good gifts God has given us, we should, but rather that when we come to a place when we are with "little" like Paul, whether it be in actual physical or material things or in relationship or whatever the case is, are we content? Are we satisfied, again, are we satisfied in Christ?
Paul also realized that he was independent so to speak from his circumstances. In other words, Paul is saying that in WHATEVER circumstance (whether in abundance or in need) he is content, fully satisfied. He and we are never victims of our circumstances in life but rather must recognize the providence of the sovereign God and find our satisfaction wholly in Him.
There is so much to gain from Paul on this idea and I encourage you to study this passage and recommend John MacArthur's messages on the topic as I have pulled ideas from them. But I do have to say that what I see ultimately, and a point JMAC pointed out, is that Paul found His contentment because He was sustained by divine power. In verse 13 it says I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME, that is a radical, a very radical statement. John MacArthur puts it well, "What he is simply saying is in those exogenous of life, those extremities of life where I have no more human resources, I am infused with the strength of Christ. The Bible says, "To him who has no might, He increases strength." And Isaiah says in chapter 40, that great and familiar thirty-first verse, "That when we would faint and grow weary, we automatically feel the power of God and mount up as wings as eagles." Now listen to this. He found his contentment in the manifest strength of Christ that comes to the believer when he has exhausted his human resources. Now let me translate that into what I'm saying...contentment is a byproduct of distress. Contentment comes when you experience the sustaining power of Christ in those times when you have no human strength. To him who has no might, God increases strength. If you've never been there, maybe you've never experienced it. Paul says, "I'm content, I've seen the power of God." We should be praying, you know, for enough distress in our life, for enough difficulty in our life to cast us on Christ that we might see His power explode in our behalf and therein to be content."
So the question I ask myself and all of you as well is are you content, fully satisfied in Christ alone as Paul was?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
An Idolator at Heart
"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God; My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come appear before God." -Psalm 42:1-2
About three years ago I had read a book that forever changed my perspective on sin, Idols of the Heart. In this short book by Elyse Fitzpatrick I realized for what seemed to be the first time how much of an idolator I truly am despite my union with Christ. What were those things that I loved more than Him, not that I would say I loved more, but through my actions evidenced that very thing? How was I comforting myself when tough things came into my life? Where was I running when I needed answers? And what took most of my time, thoughts, and affection? Where was my joy truly coming from?
This weekend Elyse came to our church for our women's conference and I was reminded yet again of the reality of idolatry, even in the life of the believer. Idolatry is nothing new, it is seen all throughout Scripture. And yet the believer's desire is to know and love Christ right? Ask anyone who is in Christ and they will iterate with their lips that they love Him first, that they desire to know Him more and that they want to have the heart of the psalmist in the above passage, a heart that longs to know and be with Him. But the question is does your life reflect that, and how? What does this longing for God even look like?
Your longing for God should be manifested in an all-consuming desire to be with Him and to know Him more and more. A desire that a young child has to be held by their mother or father, a longing to be in His presence. Do you desire this? Now you may, as I would say as well, say yes; but look at your life, examine your heart...what do you really long for? Where do you run for comfort? Is it Him? Or is it clothes, material possessions, food, relationships, ministry even? We must count everything as loss in our pursuit of Christ. Paul in Philippians 3 reminds us of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, and yet do we see that, to we take that reality for granted. I know I do; I am so easily satisfied with mud pies when an island at sea is awaiting me (as Lewis would say).
So if we aren't longing for God like that then WHY? It is because of the "functional" gods in our lives; the very things (some not inherently sinful) that we place our hope, joy, and confidence in rather than in Him. An idol, as defined by Elyse, is anything that you are willing to sin to get or to sin if you don't get. We must realize that even good things in life (husbands, children, sports, talents, ministry) can become idols in our hearts. And the reality is that until we are made perfect in Him and with Him in heaven we will continually be fighting the idolatry in our own heart. We must first recognize our idols and then repent of them. We must realize as Elyse said that our idolatry is a negation of God's great love for us demonstrated on the cross. AND we must find our identity in what He says about us not what you think you must have or be.
But there is a way to help this battle, something that we must do daily...REMIND YOURSELF THAT HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS BETTER THAN LIFE, REMIND YOURSELF OF THE GOSPEL. The reality is that when we sin, we don't believe this because if we did we wouldn't sin against Him. "You are more sinful and flawed than you could ever dared believe and yet you (As God's child) are more loved and welcomed than you could have ever dared hope!" His love for us, as believers, is more precious than whatever you idolize...THAN LIFE ITSELF! We so often think other things are more desirable and it is these things we long for but if we remind ourselves DAILY of His great love displayed through calvary we will be unable to help ourselves from falling to His feet in worship and gratitude.
Our desires will never be made right and perfect until Christ comes to take us home but that doesn't negate the pursuit of Him that our hearts should be longing for and the battle that we must daily wage within our own hearts. We must seek to kill the functional gods in our lives and examine our hearts evils to see what we are idolizing over Him and repent. But we must not get discouraged by our failings but rather TRUST in the work of grace on the cross that saves us completely, we do nothing to merit that salvation we have received...praise God for that Truth! I will close with a puritan prayer and I exhort you, as I do myself to pray for His desires to be made yours.
May I never think I prosper unless my soul prospers,
or that I am rich unless rich toward Thee,
or that I am wise unless wise unto salvation.
May I seek first Thy kingdom and its righteousness.
May I value things in relation to eternity.
May my spiritual welfare be my chief solitude.
May I be poor, afflicted, despised, and have Thy blessing,
rather than be successful in enterprise, or have more than my heart can wish,
or be admired by my fellow-men if thereby these things make me forget Thee.
May I regard the world as dreams, lies, vanities, vexation of spirit, and desire to depart from it.
And may I seek my happiness in Thy favor, image, presence and service.
About three years ago I had read a book that forever changed my perspective on sin, Idols of the Heart. In this short book by Elyse Fitzpatrick I realized for what seemed to be the first time how much of an idolator I truly am despite my union with Christ. What were those things that I loved more than Him, not that I would say I loved more, but through my actions evidenced that very thing? How was I comforting myself when tough things came into my life? Where was I running when I needed answers? And what took most of my time, thoughts, and affection? Where was my joy truly coming from?
This weekend Elyse came to our church for our women's conference and I was reminded yet again of the reality of idolatry, even in the life of the believer. Idolatry is nothing new, it is seen all throughout Scripture. And yet the believer's desire is to know and love Christ right? Ask anyone who is in Christ and they will iterate with their lips that they love Him first, that they desire to know Him more and that they want to have the heart of the psalmist in the above passage, a heart that longs to know and be with Him. But the question is does your life reflect that, and how? What does this longing for God even look like?
Your longing for God should be manifested in an all-consuming desire to be with Him and to know Him more and more. A desire that a young child has to be held by their mother or father, a longing to be in His presence. Do you desire this? Now you may, as I would say as well, say yes; but look at your life, examine your heart...what do you really long for? Where do you run for comfort? Is it Him? Or is it clothes, material possessions, food, relationships, ministry even? We must count everything as loss in our pursuit of Christ. Paul in Philippians 3 reminds us of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, and yet do we see that, to we take that reality for granted. I know I do; I am so easily satisfied with mud pies when an island at sea is awaiting me (as Lewis would say).
So if we aren't longing for God like that then WHY? It is because of the "functional" gods in our lives; the very things (some not inherently sinful) that we place our hope, joy, and confidence in rather than in Him. An idol, as defined by Elyse, is anything that you are willing to sin to get or to sin if you don't get. We must realize that even good things in life (husbands, children, sports, talents, ministry) can become idols in our hearts. And the reality is that until we are made perfect in Him and with Him in heaven we will continually be fighting the idolatry in our own heart. We must first recognize our idols and then repent of them. We must realize as Elyse said that our idolatry is a negation of God's great love for us demonstrated on the cross. AND we must find our identity in what He says about us not what you think you must have or be.
But there is a way to help this battle, something that we must do daily...REMIND YOURSELF THAT HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS BETTER THAN LIFE, REMIND YOURSELF OF THE GOSPEL. The reality is that when we sin, we don't believe this because if we did we wouldn't sin against Him. "You are more sinful and flawed than you could ever dared believe and yet you (As God's child) are more loved and welcomed than you could have ever dared hope!" His love for us, as believers, is more precious than whatever you idolize...THAN LIFE ITSELF! We so often think other things are more desirable and it is these things we long for but if we remind ourselves DAILY of His great love displayed through calvary we will be unable to help ourselves from falling to His feet in worship and gratitude.
Our desires will never be made right and perfect until Christ comes to take us home but that doesn't negate the pursuit of Him that our hearts should be longing for and the battle that we must daily wage within our own hearts. We must seek to kill the functional gods in our lives and examine our hearts evils to see what we are idolizing over Him and repent. But we must not get discouraged by our failings but rather TRUST in the work of grace on the cross that saves us completely, we do nothing to merit that salvation we have received...praise God for that Truth! I will close with a puritan prayer and I exhort you, as I do myself to pray for His desires to be made yours.
May I never think I prosper unless my soul prospers,
or that I am rich unless rich toward Thee,
or that I am wise unless wise unto salvation.
May I seek first Thy kingdom and its righteousness.
May I value things in relation to eternity.
May my spiritual welfare be my chief solitude.
May I be poor, afflicted, despised, and have Thy blessing,
rather than be successful in enterprise, or have more than my heart can wish,
or be admired by my fellow-men if thereby these things make me forget Thee.
May I regard the world as dreams, lies, vanities, vexation of spirit, and desire to depart from it.
And may I seek my happiness in Thy favor, image, presence and service.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Written So You Might KNOW
Over the past month I have spent time studying the book of 1 John. It is a richly encouraging and exhorting book in which we can find the assurance of our salvation; something that believers, really anyone who claims to know Him desires to posess. John states in chapter 5 that he has written these things (the book of 1 John) so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life. What an amazing Truth to cling to, the reality that you can KNOW you are His child, that you can KNOW that you will partake in His inheritance and you can KNOW that you will spend forever, eternity, with Him.
The study of this book has changed me, made me examine myself and has confirmed in my heart the deep desire I have to be a Truth bearer in the darkness and bring the Truth to help others find if they too walk in Him. Scripture makes it quite clear that there are going to be many people, according to Matthew 7, who find themselves confused, surprised, and begging on the Judgment Day as they find themselves hearing the most frightening thing, "depart from Me, I never knew you". So the reality stands that there are people walking around, those who claim Christ, who go to church, who serve, who may even stand behind pulpits or sunday school music stands, who in fact do not know Him...and many of them I would venture to say do not have that assurance John, and ultimately the Lord promises we can have as His kids. It is for this reason that the apostle Paul exhorts the believer to examine himself to see if He is in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). The book of 1 John gives some simple over arching principles that can help us examine ourselves to detect whether or not we really KNOW Him and whether or not He knows us, as His child.
No Habitual Sin"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." -1 John 3:9
It is true that despite our regeneration and new birth in and through Him there will not be sinless children of God walking around this earth. BUT that does not negate the understanding of much of the New Testament in which believers are to be walking in light, to be practicing righteousness and to be salt in this perverse generation. There is a clear understanding that although believers will still sin they will most definitely be sinning LESS. This whole idea of a carnal Christian just isn't found in Scripture; someone cannot walk in darkness as John explains unless He is a liar. The question comes then do you walk in habitual sin, or are you repentant, fighting and seeing victory through Christ? We musn't fall prey to thinking that we are doing this for a standing of righteousness before the Holy God, but rather it will mark the true believer because the indwelling Spirit will be working to make him/her more like Christ. Are you sinning less and less as you pursue Him?
A Pursuit of Holiness"If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." - 1 John 2:29
There is a clear desire within the truly saved for righteousness, as Christ described in the Sermon on the Mt. a thirsting after it. The believer pursues holiness, strives towards it and desires to made more and more like Christ whatever the cost BECAUSE as John explains HE LOVES GOD; whoever loves God obeys His commands and those commands are not burdensome. Do you desire holiness, are you pursuing it whole-heartedly?
Love for the Brethren"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." -1 John 3:14
Here we find that there is an evidence of new birth in the attitude and relationships found among the brethren, there is a love that reflects that of God's love towards us (selfless and sacrificial). This love towards the brethren is seen and desired no matter who the person is or what the person has done. Do we love like Christ loved us?
We Do NOT Love This World"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." -1 John 2:15
This is clear in the way that an individual speaks, thinks, and lives. Where are the desires of the heart? Where are the affections of your heart? Is your thinking and behavior conformed to Scripture and God- glorifying or is it shaped by the world and the things of it? The truly saved one will be set apart, looking different then the world, be rejected and despised and forsaken by the world as Christ Jesus himself was. The truly saved will desire their heavenly home and their affections will be wrapped in the beauty and glory of Christ.
Charles Spurgeon sums this up quite well, "These changes are not the cause of our salvation for we are saved by faith (Eph. 2:8-9). But rather, they are the evidence that we truly have been born again. If they have not taken place in our life, then it is vital that we earnestly seek God and implore Him to regenerate us. He promises we will find Him if we seek Him with all our heart (Deut. 4:29), and the way to begin is by reading His Word. The Bible says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17)"
The study of this book has changed me, made me examine myself and has confirmed in my heart the deep desire I have to be a Truth bearer in the darkness and bring the Truth to help others find if they too walk in Him. Scripture makes it quite clear that there are going to be many people, according to Matthew 7, who find themselves confused, surprised, and begging on the Judgment Day as they find themselves hearing the most frightening thing, "depart from Me, I never knew you". So the reality stands that there are people walking around, those who claim Christ, who go to church, who serve, who may even stand behind pulpits or sunday school music stands, who in fact do not know Him...and many of them I would venture to say do not have that assurance John, and ultimately the Lord promises we can have as His kids. It is for this reason that the apostle Paul exhorts the believer to examine himself to see if He is in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). The book of 1 John gives some simple over arching principles that can help us examine ourselves to detect whether or not we really KNOW Him and whether or not He knows us, as His child.
No Habitual Sin"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." -1 John 3:9
It is true that despite our regeneration and new birth in and through Him there will not be sinless children of God walking around this earth. BUT that does not negate the understanding of much of the New Testament in which believers are to be walking in light, to be practicing righteousness and to be salt in this perverse generation. There is a clear understanding that although believers will still sin they will most definitely be sinning LESS. This whole idea of a carnal Christian just isn't found in Scripture; someone cannot walk in darkness as John explains unless He is a liar. The question comes then do you walk in habitual sin, or are you repentant, fighting and seeing victory through Christ? We musn't fall prey to thinking that we are doing this for a standing of righteousness before the Holy God, but rather it will mark the true believer because the indwelling Spirit will be working to make him/her more like Christ. Are you sinning less and less as you pursue Him?
A Pursuit of Holiness"If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." - 1 John 2:29
There is a clear desire within the truly saved for righteousness, as Christ described in the Sermon on the Mt. a thirsting after it. The believer pursues holiness, strives towards it and desires to made more and more like Christ whatever the cost BECAUSE as John explains HE LOVES GOD; whoever loves God obeys His commands and those commands are not burdensome. Do you desire holiness, are you pursuing it whole-heartedly?
Love for the Brethren"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." -1 John 3:14
Here we find that there is an evidence of new birth in the attitude and relationships found among the brethren, there is a love that reflects that of God's love towards us (selfless and sacrificial). This love towards the brethren is seen and desired no matter who the person is or what the person has done. Do we love like Christ loved us?
We Do NOT Love This World"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." -1 John 2:15
This is clear in the way that an individual speaks, thinks, and lives. Where are the desires of the heart? Where are the affections of your heart? Is your thinking and behavior conformed to Scripture and God- glorifying or is it shaped by the world and the things of it? The truly saved one will be set apart, looking different then the world, be rejected and despised and forsaken by the world as Christ Jesus himself was. The truly saved will desire their heavenly home and their affections will be wrapped in the beauty and glory of Christ.
Charles Spurgeon sums this up quite well, "These changes are not the cause of our salvation for we are saved by faith (Eph. 2:8-9). But rather, they are the evidence that we truly have been born again. If they have not taken place in our life, then it is vital that we earnestly seek God and implore Him to regenerate us. He promises we will find Him if we seek Him with all our heart (Deut. 4:29), and the way to begin is by reading His Word. The Bible says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17)"
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