I've been reading this book called "Future Grace" by John Piper and I'm loving it. It's all about trusting in God's promises and how this is what drives us to continue serving the Lord. It also goes into some deeper theological issues that I am not ready to handle yet... I'm beginning to understand them better, but not quite ready to write about them or explain them - guess you'll have to keep coming back and reading my blog ;)
So, this book is divided into 31 chapters. He did this to help keep the reader immersed in this subject for a more extended amount of time, instead of letting the reader read, and be done with the entire book in a day or two. I must admit, I've really enjoyed it! It's great to have some continuity in my reading and it's been good to have along with my bible reading... I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy this book for many of my friends and family members... I might even do a giveaway soon!
Anyway, my point is on this subject of contentment. I read in one of the recent chapters about discontentment, or rather, covetousness, being one of the deepest issues a believer has to come to terms with - or rather, an issue they have to allow God to work out in each of us. The root of the issue is this - all covetousness is an unbelief in the future grace of God. At first I thought "Really?" but the more I think about it and the more I read, the more I see this to be true.
If we are discontent, we are wishing that we had more of something the world can offer - more of what someone else has got. We are letting our desire for earthly pleasures and gains rule over our faith in the provisions that God has made for us and will make for us. We are saying "What I could have here on earth is better than what I could have in God." Am I wrong? Here is what Paul says to Timothy about this issue...
"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Wanting any earthly possession will get us nowhere. And if we are not careful, we can foster this desire for stuff and money and allow it to lead us away from the faith, ruining our eternity. And if you're wondering... no, I do not believe the "once saved, always saved" mentality to be biblical... there are too many warnings about keeping the faith, enduring to the end, not wandering away... but this is one of those heavy, theological issues I will likely deal with later in the year.
What I want to hash out is this issue of discontentment. Discontentment shows us that we really don't believe God's good intentions for His followers. If I believed 100% that all of my circumstances were ultimately going to lead me to the most important thing to ever happen in my life, why would I have any reason to not be filled with joy? If I truly understood, that even in difficulty, God was working out my circumstances to be for my own benefit both here on earth and in eternity, wouldn't I be foolish to be anxious or worried or upset? But isn't this the same promise we are given if we keep the faith and remain true to the Lord? God has given us so many promises - some conditional (another issue I'll tackle later) and some with the only requirement being that we turn to Him. But if you call yourself a Christian, there is not one good reason for you to ever be discontent - I mean it! God has made every provision for you to have a blessed eternity with Him. And not only that, He continues to make earthly provisions for you to be comfortable, have food, clothing, enjoy relationships... there are endless lists.
In light of all this, I would encourage of you Christian readers to take a look at your life and ask God to reveal areas of discontentment. Because while some small areas may not lead to flagrant sin - such as murder or theft or sexual immorality - any area of discontentment has the potential to. And why risk it? Especially when we can be so blessed with a joy and contentment that can make a difference in so many lives around us. Especially since when we are content with where God has us, we will see Him and His purposes more clearly, fueling our passion for Him and filling our hearts so we will never be lacking.
Enjoy a few verses giving us encouragement for the things God has promised to those who follow Him.
"And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, for those that are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?"
Romans 8:32
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. Or which of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?"
Matthew 7:7-11
"if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
James 1:5-8 -
This one is a good example of a conditional promise - God will give wisdom to anyone who asks, supposing that he asks in complete faith that God is willing and able to provide.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9
So, this book is divided into 31 chapters. He did this to help keep the reader immersed in this subject for a more extended amount of time, instead of letting the reader read, and be done with the entire book in a day or two. I must admit, I've really enjoyed it! It's great to have some continuity in my reading and it's been good to have along with my bible reading... I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy this book for many of my friends and family members... I might even do a giveaway soon!
Anyway, my point is on this subject of contentment. I read in one of the recent chapters about discontentment, or rather, covetousness, being one of the deepest issues a believer has to come to terms with - or rather, an issue they have to allow God to work out in each of us. The root of the issue is this - all covetousness is an unbelief in the future grace of God. At first I thought "Really?" but the more I think about it and the more I read, the more I see this to be true.
If we are discontent, we are wishing that we had more of something the world can offer - more of what someone else has got. We are letting our desire for earthly pleasures and gains rule over our faith in the provisions that God has made for us and will make for us. We are saying "What I could have here on earth is better than what I could have in God." Am I wrong? Here is what Paul says to Timothy about this issue...
"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Wanting any earthly possession will get us nowhere. And if we are not careful, we can foster this desire for stuff and money and allow it to lead us away from the faith, ruining our eternity. And if you're wondering... no, I do not believe the "once saved, always saved" mentality to be biblical... there are too many warnings about keeping the faith, enduring to the end, not wandering away... but this is one of those heavy, theological issues I will likely deal with later in the year.
What I want to hash out is this issue of discontentment. Discontentment shows us that we really don't believe God's good intentions for His followers. If I believed 100% that all of my circumstances were ultimately going to lead me to the most important thing to ever happen in my life, why would I have any reason to not be filled with joy? If I truly understood, that even in difficulty, God was working out my circumstances to be for my own benefit both here on earth and in eternity, wouldn't I be foolish to be anxious or worried or upset? But isn't this the same promise we are given if we keep the faith and remain true to the Lord? God has given us so many promises - some conditional (another issue I'll tackle later) and some with the only requirement being that we turn to Him. But if you call yourself a Christian, there is not one good reason for you to ever be discontent - I mean it! God has made every provision for you to have a blessed eternity with Him. And not only that, He continues to make earthly provisions for you to be comfortable, have food, clothing, enjoy relationships... there are endless lists.
In light of all this, I would encourage of you Christian readers to take a look at your life and ask God to reveal areas of discontentment. Because while some small areas may not lead to flagrant sin - such as murder or theft or sexual immorality - any area of discontentment has the potential to. And why risk it? Especially when we can be so blessed with a joy and contentment that can make a difference in so many lives around us. Especially since when we are content with where God has us, we will see Him and His purposes more clearly, fueling our passion for Him and filling our hearts so we will never be lacking.
Enjoy a few verses giving us encouragement for the things God has promised to those who follow Him.
"And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, for those that are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?"
Romans 8:32
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. Or which of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?"
Matthew 7:7-11
"if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
James 1:5-8 -
This one is a good example of a conditional promise - God will give wisdom to anyone who asks, supposing that he asks in complete faith that God is willing and able to provide.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9
