How to Have Greener Grass NOW - Part B

Contentment is a learned ability is a learned ability for you and I was I was blessed with the gift of contentment is not a gift.

It's a learned skill because of what he says, for I have learned in verse 11.

In whatever state I am, verse 12, and a lot of you base around everywhere and in all things.

I have learned both to be full and so encouraging because I'm still learning. Contentment is the feeling something fun. Contentment is an attitude you choose to live out today on connect with Skip pricing Skip shares how you can experience true contentment to God's provision and confidence in his power that we want to tell you about a resource that shines light on the rapidly shifting landscape of the Middle East. Why this impacts you the beating heart of Bible prophecy is the land of Israel and the Middle East. Joel Rosenberg has his finger on the pulse of the world shaking changes happening right now and he unveils them in his new nonfiction book enemies and allies inside walked inside his US enemies and allies from multiple New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg takes you on an unforgettable journey inside the turbulent Middle East behind closed doors to hear from the very kings and crown princes, presidents and prime ministers who are leading the charge. Enemies and allies includes exclusive never before published quotes insight and analysis from the authors conversations with some of the world's most controversial leaders your hardcover copy enemies and allies is our thanks for your generous gift of $35 or more today to give call 892 to 1888 visit connect.com okay. Philippians chapter 4 scripts I took starts today. I've been Israel. How many times in the first time I went to Texaco, but once all throughout the southern part of the land in Judeo Canada that wins live in tents, animal hair, tents, black tents and the travel is a community of of 10 dwellers together. Still to this day in modern-day dip their flocks like goats and sheep in the move around depending on where they can find pasture land for their animals, so I always love to point the Bedouins out to people to go to Israel to look out to the side of the road to see people that live like Abraham did, so that they come to see the tents in the distance a one time were traveling around to go around the corner. We see this tent community, and out of a couple of tents.

We notice a television aerial antenna going up. I thought interesting.

This is now become a knee for the better when people a television set or content in these verses, I learned whatever state I am to be content out our case is the word out to our case, means contained. I've learned to be contained self-sufficient.

It could be translated satisfied would be another translation or enough a person can say I have enough interest in word was used by the Greek Stoics. If you remember your philosophy class. You know that the Stoics were a subset of Greek philosophers who believed that you can get to a point where you don't need anyone or anything and you will not have any emotional response even to the worst things in life that was their aim. Their aim was independence from any need for any help.

That's the word Paul uses, but that is not what Paul meant by the word to use what he means is that if people help them great.

I'll be connected to those people see that his fruit will be joyful because of that connection, but if they do not, God will provide.

I'm still contained I'm still content. So what is Psalm 23.

Say you know by heart. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. There's nothing I need, because the Lord is my shepherd. Hebrews 13 the writer says that our conduct be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have, how could he say that. How could he say be content with what you have here is why he finishes the verse by saying or he himself has said, I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. So, we may boldly say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me what all of these verses tell me are the same thing that contentment does not come from what we have. It comes from whom we have the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The Lord is set I will never leave you or forsake if you provide great.

If not, the Lord will provide. So contentment is not related to necessity there some else about contentment notice in the verse contentment does not depend on quantity. Notice what Paul is in his description. What are these words abased that's really low abound really high fall really high hungry really low, so Paul says sometimes life is like this, up and down high and low, but it doesn't matter, and it's not a matter of having more creature comforts is not a matter of having more disposable income. As Paul is saying.

I've lived on both sides of that equation.

Look at the word full and artworks that word was used of the feeding and fattening of animals balls that outlive the fat life before I lived a full life like a fattened animals who ate really well if you think about the way Paul grew up. He grew up having plenty. He was educated in private schools. He reached status among his contemporaries as a Pharisee, but then look at the word abased, can you think of a time and Paul was ever abased, how about right here is rightness from jail, not knowing if using the liver diets pretty abased, and how to get there on a grain ship in the slave galley that got shipwrecked and had to get on another boat just to make their own. That's pretty abased in other words, Paul said I had status. I lost it all. It's interesting that most people who lose everything get very very depressed.

You think back to the 1929 stock crash.

Nothing you remember that, but you've read about it.

I remember reading things that it was so devastating is that brought on the Great Depression. That's one of the factors for that. But when that stock market crash of 1929. Some executives jumped out of their office windows to their deaths. At the thought that they lost everything they lost it all and see that is the illusion that's the deception.

The deception is that more cash will bring more contentment than if I have a lot of wife will be easy all be all be happy with that many zeros at the end of the page that a blanket that that's an illusion. That's a deception there. Here's a statistic I wanted to share with you last year, Americans spent $70 billion on lottery tickets. I can ask to buy lottery tickets. I don't care. But it's interesting that we spend last year as American $70 billion on lottery tickets. That's more than we spent on sports tickets on books, video games, movie tickets and music combined combined $70 billion. Why people believe there's a chance that I could win and there's there's a chance that in winning him to find real happiness that I have it so good to help others, to get this money on to help so many people and help myself a little bit as well be so happy now. I'm sure I don't even have to tell you, you have read or heard of the opposite being true right you heard story after story, people who one lotteries in their life when to the tank article in Time magazine. I found on how winning the lottery can actually make you miserable cited several examples are just one just one one-man went broke. Four years after winning $315 million. How do you lose $350 million in four years. He did it and he lost a daughter and a granddaughter to drug overdoses. He said directly related to his winnings he was robbed of over half $1 million while sitting in his car and he said I don't like what I have become. I wish I would've just torn up that ticket instead for that sounds a lot like what Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke when he said a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he possesses.

So contentment is not related to necessity contentment does not depend on quantity but here's something else I want you look at in the text and notice contentment is a learned ability. It's a learned ability. So before you go and I was I was blessed with the gift of contentment is not a gift. It's a learned skill because look what he says, for I have learned verse 11 in whatever state I am to be content. Verse 12 I know how to be abased auto abound everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry. That is so encouraging to me because I'm still learning. I'm still in the process.

I haven't graduated. It's something we learn there's a monastery in Spain. If you are to join the monastery to be an initiate as a young monk to take a vow of silence that is the sum on a server. You don't say a word you just contemplate that be very difficult for some of us to be able to do he imagine me not talking for two years so the idea is that every two years you get to say two words so this young guy joined the monastery was there for six years total so two years went by, I didn't say a word.

After two years he went before the head priest and you got to say is to work in his stewards were food terrible sank two more words for another to you two years more passed by he goes again to the head priest. This time his two words were bad, lumpy, so he set a rough four years, but he hangs it out for another two years and he comes back to the head priest and his stewards are now. I quit and that head priest said you know I'm not surprised us all you've done since you've arrived is complain complain. Have you noticed how easy it is to complain in life that complaining is like second nature, grumbling, pointing out the faults of people or things just come so second nature so easy to do just stand around the coffee maker work and listen to the conversations as people will trash talk down the company.

The complain students complain about teachers athletes complain about coaches shoppers complain about parking. Everybody complains about traffic, so contentment is a related to necessity it doesn't depend on quantity. It's a learned ability, a learned ability not want to give you a few tips on how to learn it better how to get ahead of the learning curve. First of all, avoid comparisons gets every time. Once you start looking at what others have doing compared to you. You start comparing yourself, it's downhill, because comparison robs you of contentment and promotes covetousness. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12 we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves. They are not wise to little story about a pocket watch in London, England, who looked up and saw a big band overlooking the Thames River to the parliament building in London and he looked up his whole I wish I could be up that high. I wish that I could be over all these people and I could serve more people so somebody gave the little pocket wash watch its wish and with the string it hoisted up all the way all the way all the way up. By the time you got all the way up to her that they can clock was nobody could see it. It was so small, and the moral of the story is its elevation became its annihilation, so avoid comparisons. A second tip on contentment lower expectation. Some people expect too much. They feel entitled, and when you live in entitled life always expecting more. You never stop to appreciate what you have yet robbed of thankfulness. First Timothy chapter 6 godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, we can take nothing out of it. If we have food and clothing with these we will be content.

Most of us are not part of the jet set. Most of us are part of the debt set and the more you try to get into the jet set.

The more you to become part of the debt set so lower your expectation.

Avoid comparisons lower expectations is 1/3 to adjust to alterations adjust to alteration article after article I read on happiness that people who are the happiest in life learned to take the bumps the highs and the lows.

Together they adjust with the learn how to make adjustments in their life. So Paul describes several different experiences in verse 12, ups and downs abounding great, but when you're bounding know that you could also be abased, learn to adjust, avoid comparisons, lower expectations adjust to alterations is 1/4 tip should have been number one.

Develop convictions. What screws do you stand on when you're faced with emptiness or a lot. What screws do you hold to that would keep you from complaining because I believe and I believe it sincerely that contentment is related to what you believe about God's sovereignty directly proportional to, do you believe God is in control or not want her great statement on sovereignty comes from the book of Job, the mouth of Job who lost his children, who lost his health who lost everything and listen to what he said naked I came into this world naked. I will leave the Lord gave them the Lord takes away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord is that for statement of sovereignty.

God's in charge. You entered into life empty-handed you leave empty-handed. You've heard the old joke you've never seen a hearse pulling the U-Haul is you can't take anything with. So avoid comparisons lower expectations adjust to alterations, develop convictions, those are all good tips that will help you and I learn to be content. So be connected to God's people, be content with God's provision third and final principle to going to this mixture with his be confident in God's power. Verse 13, before you even read it on to say you know what by heart. If I were to take up all of the percentage of people in this room right now who could spout this off at a moments notice to be pretty high. I can do. Verse 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Did you know this is Paul's philosophy of life in a backup. Paul is not writing this verse from the Ritz Carlton in Rome. Paul is writing this in jail. This man is been beaten up. This man is been talked against by unbelievers and by believers. He does not know if you live or die know Phil face a court case tomorrow or be executed tomorrow or be said for and yet he says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me know what one of the principal is spiritual success comes in cans. You've heard the other message too long. I can't do that your fears have told you, you can't. Others have told you, you can't pass failures come back to haunt you and say you can't. I want you to get a new motto this year. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And before you say will that's Paul the apostle, he can but I can't. Here's what you need to know father to say I can do all things he says I can do all things through Christ. The same Christ.

Paul had is the same Christ you have so Paul the apostle in prison could say I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.

You can say exactly the same thing because it's through Christ. Galatians 220 I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live it. It is not me who lives but Christ who lives in me. Same principle, the JB Phillips translation puts this verse.

This way I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives in me. The amplified Bible adds, that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency will Paul says is exactly what Jesus said but in reverse number with Jesus in John 15, he said, without me you can do nothing better to get it without Christ.

All the I chance I can't. I can't that's apart from Christ. Nothing.

Paul takes that same truth turns around to the pauses, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me see it all depends on where your resources lie to your resources lie in yourself or your resources lie in your Savior Paul in prison. Don't know if he is to be supported or not, but no visa delivered. II can do all things Corrie 10 boom if you heard of her. You ever read her story. She survived Nazi concentration camps. She said this, you'll never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have all Paul had posted that's enough.

I'm contentment good to go.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So I am hoping that you enter into this new year not being like those people go well, you know Jesus is like an important part of my life, but rather, Jesus is my life. He is the core and substance of who I am.

I am living through Christ and Christ is living his life through me. So as we stand on the verge of a new year. Get connected. Get contented, get confident that's a great message you have at the end of the year into a new one I heard about a little girl who was staying at a friends house for dinner and to sleep over, and the mother and at home wanted to make sure that she could eat everything she was cooking she was cooking up butter, broccoli, steam, butter broccoli is one of the vegetables for the meal and so she said sweetheart. Do you like broccoli. The little girl the visiting girls. Oh ma'am yes ma'am I love broccoli, so she cooked it up as they were passing things around.

The broccoli was passed to that little girl that visiting friend. She looked at it, pass it on. Didn't take one little fear of it. Mother said sweetheart. I thought you told me you love broccoli.

She said oh yes ma'am, I do love broccoli.

I just don't love it enough to eat it. You know, theoretically would go to theory self included when it comes to the broccoli coming to my plate. I do love broccoli. I'll say that whatever it might be that you and I don't like to eat when it comes our way and I just want to say you might find broccoli on your plate this year. You might find a spoonful of sickness like Joe you you may get a big dish of loneliness added to your plate, you might find that your plate is piled high with all sorts of unpleasant entrées like this. I don't love it enough to eat it but it's what God sets in front of you because of that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you even need that broccoli or whatever unpalatable experience. So I've always loved the saying that says your doctor may add years to your life. Jesus can add life to give you that web subscription six message from the series technical. The stories of the Bible is a very good thing. Walking where the stories took place. Is that a whole another level scoop height is planning his next two things you can be on. Here's the invitation from Skip urine for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country. Now I've been to Israel and number of times over the years and I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded for Jesus lived taught and healed. It just never gets old will start on the Mediterranean Sea and head north. Seeing places like Caesarea and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River will spend several days in and around Jerusalem and see the temple mount Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of olives and much more. This remarkable itinerary is made richer with times of worship, Bible study, and lots of fellowship. The Bible will come alive to you in a way never has before. I hope you'll join Lenny and me on what is always an unforgettable trip.

I can't wait to see you in his this dream can come true for you. Start planning and saving now to tour Israel will Skip Heitzig information, inspiration, cruises.com/C a VQ that's inspiration cruises.com/sing a VQ to the gym tomorrow.

The script shares how you can use the resources God's given bring glory lives for his kingdom don't want in this castle Skip Heitzig presentation of connection communications go through ever-changing time