05.06.2012 Practical Advice - Contentment

Mike Jundi

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Gamers, Inc. –
Back in 2006, Lisa and I decided to reopen a local hobby store that had closed. A lot of the conversation revolved around matt. 5 – let your light shine.
We closed the store in 2009 – around when Isabella was born – back in that period, I struggled with my faith – keeping commitments to God and family – and in keeping myself in bad company, trying to do something right with those who don’t know God – and put myself in harm’s way, trying to help those who didn’t know God. In the past few years, I’ve traded one group of friends for another, those I met at the store to a new group on social media; I get into a lot of discussions about living responsibly and our place in God’s creation. With that as a backdrop – I’d like to share a few revelations - coming from someone who has walked with the wise and becoming a companion of fools – I have some advice – things that boiled to the service over the past few weeks of sermons.
Evaluate yourself regularly in your walk with God. I feel like I failed at this when I was dealing with the store. I feel like I failed the kids I was trying to be a reflection of Christ to. There were times I was working part-time and others I wasn’t – I tried to be everything to everyone at all times. I was a mentor/Tutor/older brother/advisor on games we sold and a business man who supplied goods and repurchased items.
There were times I would mention WHY we were running the store – it was a beachhead in the community – and it came to the surface coming home between 2 and 3 in the morning after counseling some of these kids – and at times I would be influenced by those I was trying to reach and made some poor decisions. It wasn’t entirely negative - We hosted two events to bring people together – counseled kids, encouraged them to make good grades. We even had the opportunity for a couple of kids who weren’t getting attention at home - We grew up a family of misfits around us. We wanted to be that light and tried to be that light – but I feel there was more that I could have done had I taken the time to evaluate myself more.
Make time to evaluate – recharge and renew to work to be the best reflection of Christ.
Step back, breathe and pray when faced with company who is against you or God. This comes from my experiences in social media – Facebook friends, chatting online, other social media sites – saying something is different from writing something. We’re a second decade into the 21st century. All that tweeting, pinning, posting, updating – may feel as valid as catching up with someone face to face but it is not real – I am different – we lose our intent and who we are gets lost in the vapid responses or the snide comments or one-liners – knowing someone in real life as a living breathing body gives us temperance when debating – debating, arguing, or being snarky is not who you are. Step back and think how you handle things in the social realms compared to in real life. Would you just walk away? Or would you continue to pummel someone with tidbits of facts and trivia. Ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Trying to discuss issues that matter means being clear on where you stand, not just taking the opposite stance of who you are talking to. Being clear means being a reflection of yourself at all times. Being a reflection of yourself means being a reflection of God. If you wouldn’t engage in a certain activity in real life, don’t do that online!
Commit to doing God’s work whenever and wherever you can. It may not pay off initially, but it will strengthen you when considering yourself in evaluating yourself (step #1). You can’t imagine how many people I’ve debated so many things with so many different types of people – atheists – agnostics, and people who don’t know what they believe. I’ve discussed time and the universe and everything - but I’ve taken opposite stances in most debates – even when I was on their side – if nothing else, to make them think.
Why do it? Because I thought I was smarter – knew more – or felt I had a better handle on the topic- and felt I was obligated to share my knowledge with the less-gifted less intelligent – but that is not God’s work, that is vanity – short and sweet. Take care in your discussions – acknowledge God’s place in the conversation – understand that you are working to make a difference in His creation – not yours. Always try to be a reflection of His grace.
Erasmus - By a carpenter mankind was made, and only by that carpenter can mankind be remade.
He who walks with the wise… - so walk with the Lord – do His work and strengthen your knowledge of Him.
Mike Marette: We have entered a new age in the past 10-15 years – when I was growing up – it was clear – stay away from certain people – but for these kids today – it takes biblical principles to know how to apply to this world. That is what theology is – taking the Bible and applying it to every circumstance – changing events and times. Throughout history, theologians have adapted and thought – how do I deal with this issue Biblically? That is really what it means to do theology – and that is why theology is so exciting! Augustine wrote on it – the Just War Theory – now – we need to be engaging what is going on today.
Practical advice – Contentment –
Prov. 30:7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, `Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
We are okay with the do not give me poverty - but how often do you pray – oh God, do not make me rich!
Many of us are secretly or not so secretly waiting for our ship to come in. You see that when the lottery gets above a certain point. You go to get gas at a gas station and you can’t because the line for the lottery is so long.
Timothy says ‘with food and covering we shall’ want more? No – we shall be content.
People in America want more, newer, and better. Every year they put out a new version of whatever you have – the NEW iPad, the new phone…
Be content with what you have.
Again, this is a proverb – and it must be interpreted as a proverb – general sayings that are true in many circumstances but not necessarily true for everything that goes on in the world at all times.
This is not a command to pray that you don’t get rich – he is talking about himself and his need to be content with what is allotted to him. In America, there are jobs where you will make a boatload of money – it is not wrong to have that job or to pursue that career.
Are you content?
Not just financially – are you content relationally? Within your family circumstances and situation? Spiritually? Ministry-wise? We can continue this.
How do we achieve contentment? If it is important, how do we achieve it?
There are some negative parts of this – it is not related to how much or how little someone has. When we were in Honduras – there are those who have very little – and yet were unbelievably content. They would have been way below the poverty line in the US – and then there are those who are not content even when they have incredibly much. It is not based on how much you have – it is based on something else. If you think you would be content with just a little bit more, you are promoting a lack of contentment.
The lack of contentment is an overwhelming problem and is epidemic in our society – and it goes across the board – in the Christian and non-Christian worlds.
Contentment – a person who possesses contentment is of great value – something to prize.
These first three – in describing contentment – show that we become content when we focus on different things. It is not something you just acquire – it springs off of other qualities.
Prov. 15: 16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
This springs from a right relationship with God. If there is something missing in your walk with God – as Mike talked about – that is what needs to be evaluated and examined. Go back to your walk with God – if you lack contentment in any area – go back to your walk with God.
16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
A proper relationship with the Lord, it allows us to accept God’s work and dealings in our lives.
There are some things you can do to get more – you can get a better job, plan your career better – that is great – do that! Think about what you do in school! That is another side of wisdom – and we see that in proverbs as well. But no matter what you do, things happen. God is in control, and ultimately determines your lot in life. You may plan everything perfectly and yet things fall apart – and having a relationship with God allows you to receive things from God and accept them and contentment flows from that. In order to do that – we need to trust in God’s provision for every aspect of our lives. You can’t plan for every disaster and every outcome – but you must learn to trust that God is good and that He loves you – if you prepare yourself for what may or may not happen, you’ll be frustrated, stressed, and anxious – but if you focus on God’s love for you – then when things don’t work out – you have something on which to anchor yourself.
We need to let God have His say in every aspect of our lives. When God says no, we need to say no – When God say s – this is what I wish for you to do – we need to do it.
Prov. 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice –
Living lives that are righteous –with integrity – morally proper – you can never find contentment if you are living a life that is lacking integrity. Those who live immoral lives are never happy – they always need more.
Prov. 15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox where there is hatred.
This is the vegan verse here…
This tells us that contentment springs out of right relationships. If there is something wrong in family relationships – you’ll never be content.
We all know how that feels – there is an argument – and it steals our satisfaction – joy and contentment.
If in your marriage, you are not content – then there is a failure of genuine intimacy – you have failed in intimacy.
Hebrews 13: 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." {[5] Deut. 31:6} 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" {[6] Psalm 118:6,7}
Now, it is really interesting – and it happens a lot in the Bible – sexual immorality, contentment, finances – and food.
A lack of contentment comes when we seek satisfaction outside of God’s boundaries.
With sexual immorality – this is obvious – monogamous relationship in marriage – outside of that – all sexual activity is out of bounds. The bible is very clear about this. Do we recognize that lack of contentment in finances is not being satisfied with what God has given?
Prov. 23: 20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, [Or] with gluttonous eaters of meat;

Moderation in eating is a Christian responsibility. It is staying in God’s boundaries – just like sexual immorality.
Phi. 4: 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Paul has been in both circumstances – and in each circumstance – here is the secret:
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
God, through Christ, can allow us to be content in whatever circumstances he allows into our lives.
First – practice generosity.
2 Cor. 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
When we think of extreme poverty – we don’t think of overflowing generosity – Practice radical generosity!
Our small group has been going through The Life You have Always Wanted – by John Ortberg
“You need to ruthlessly remove and eliminate HURRY from your life – it is a sign of lack of contentment.”
“Jesus always had much to do – but never did it in such a way to sever his relationship with His Father or interfered with His ability to give love where love was called for.”
He always made sure that connection with God was there – and he eliminated hurry by serving in every opportunity.
Through service, place yourself in situations where you have to wait. You’re in line at the grocery store – let someone go ahead of you – because you are serving and waiting.
Finally – develop the spiritual discipline of contemplation – learn to take time to set everything aside to be alone and allow things to be silent. Learn to enjoy silence with God – My soul, wait in silence for God only. We need to learn to wait – to stop everything in life – and allow God room. Let’s pray.