The Good Side of Discontent

Are you content with who you are and where you are in life and your value is depend on your title Visio value is dependent on your networks is dependent on what you wear. Bessie value is dependent on where you live. I wanted children right now.

To me it will never, never, never bring you because his values is always something so successful is almost as all welcome to leaving with Pastor Randy Dr. Michael you discontented maybe feeling shortchanged financially or socially, spiritually, as you compare with you are to your family and your friends are. As you reflect on your dreams for life today. Dr. Yousef begins a brand-new series called divine discontent. Looking at how times of wanting to lead to seasons of growth. Listen with me as Dr. Michael Yousef begins.

Listen to this call from foursquare but it was somewhat I want is great outdoors.

It was summer, but it was all I want the colorful leaves and cool, dry air. It was fall all but it was winter, I wanted the beautiful snow. The joy of the holiday season.

It was winter, but all it was spring wanted the blossoming of nature I was a child but was also told that I wanted the freedom and the respect I was 20 minutes. Most clearly I wanted to be mature and sophisticated I was middle-aged all but it was 20.

I wanted to use the free spirit I was retired all Angel wanted the presence of mind without limitation, my life is over and I never got what I wanted. Probably everyone of us can identify with this problem at some level at some stages of our lives.

I think everyone of us can identify with this. I think everyone of us got hit somehow by this spirit of discontent. Don't get me wrong, this contentment is bad.

There is good sought to discontent. It is this contentment with your prayer life that causes you to do something about it. It is this contentment about the level of your commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ that causes you to read your priorities. It is this contentment with the level of your faithfulness with the Lord that compels you to rethink your motives in life, but there is also a dark side to this contentment, the dark side of this contentment is found in the 10 Commandments and the particular the 10th commandment.

The 10th commandment address chapter 20 call this dark side of discontent God closes dark side of this contentment. He calls it covetousness, covetousness, covetousness is not a word that we often use is not part of our everyday language today but business is simply that craving for what somebody else has. If I only get half. I'll be happy.

Covetousness is the craving of somebody else's circumstances if I were her, if I were him I would be happy to dismiss is that craving of what somebody else is. If I were him follow her covetousness is longing that says if only, if only way.

Listen to what God said, you shall not come about your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his manservant. My maidservant at his office on his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Some commentators bless her heart, said that the 10th commandment is really superfluous. Everything that needed to be set is already been set in the first nine this 10th amendment is just an anticlimax is really just summarizing what everything else is already been said they were wrong.

In fact they missed the whole point, because I can tell you that the things commandment truly stands hours, above all the other nine that things commandment spoons in distinction to the rest of the nine the 10th commandment is very different from the first nine the 10th commandment is clearly distinguished and I'm going to show you how because it deals with the matter of the heart.

It deals with the matter of the heart.

The other first nine Commandments. They openly condemn outward actions. In fact it's only Jesus who explained the loss that there are desires that causes that outward breaking of the commandment. It was only Jesus was telling us to guard against our inward thoughts that trigger the outward action and that we need to care of that but without Jesus is warning if you lived in the Old Testament, and you have just the commandments, and you do not have Jesus's explanation.

You can see that the first nine all to do with our production. Everyone on do not make idols do not work on the Sabbath, do not kill innocent people do not still benefit with adult subjects of this all again from the outside and the work their way on the inside of us and what distinguishes the things commandment from the other nine. Is this some careful what distinguishes the 10th commandment is that it begins from the inside and works its way out with Ronnie about the eye could be secretly the most covetous person on the face of the earth, and nobody will know that the Austin estimate will not know it can be. You know what else so you are less and that is why that tends commandment makes explicit what the other non-implied that tends commandment spells out what God is really after you say what does God want from me what is God really have to hear I tell you exactly what is after. And that is why he comes in with the 10th commandment of God is after not just outward obedience but obedience is looking for is looking for anyone obedience in all that is out of love and out of compassion out of grace and out of mercy that God gave us all of the 10 Commandments but more specifically it's out of love it out of compassion and out of mercy, not of his grace that he gave us the 10th commandment. You know why two reasons as well.

I called him the CDs is a first CD covetousness is deceptive. Covetousness is deceptive. Secondly, contentment is delightful. Contentment is delightful is a second CD it because God knew and God knows that covetousness is deceptive that he told us and he gave us the things commandment, listen to of the Lord Jesus Christ said in Luke chapter 12 verse 15 listen carefully is what Jesus said watch out this and when Jesus is watch out you better watch out, watch out.

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed a man's life does not consist of this possession by beloved friends. I want to tell you something. This is totally contrary to every fiber of our culture. This is a true contradiction to every fiber of our society and I wanted to do something else if believers and unbelievers really believe the words of Jesus. I promise you that I would radically change the lifestyle they would radically reorder the priorities that will likely change so many of the choices marketers spend billions and billions of dollars and untold hours.

Anything you something I know these guys work hard and if you in the marketing business. Please forgive me. I don't need to step on your toes, but only to you about the philosophy of if not the working out of it because is good marketing and is bad marketing but most marketers spend untold millions and they spent untold hours working hard for one purpose to know what it is they, working hard for one purpose and one purpose only, and it is to make you feel unhappy. They really knew that's the purpose for which they work. They want you to feel unhappy. They want to make you unhappy and discontented unhappy with who you are unhappy with the way you know unhappy with what you have unhappy with what you do. They really do want you to feel miserable and unhappy unto you, by whatever they're selling. So you by whatever it is that you think is going to make you happy. With few weeks few months that made you happy know know why I want to give you some if your value is dependent on your title.

If your value is dependent on your net worth. They feel value is dependent on what you wear. If you value is dependent on where you live. If you value is dependent on what you drive. I want to tell you right now. Take it from me, it will never, never, never bring you contentment because if your values are wrapped up in these things.

I can assure you there's always something better. There's always something you there's always something nice there's always someone better, there's always someone more successful. There's always someone more attractive. There's always someone richer. There's always that is why covetousness is deceptive, deceptive, if you play this comparison game is a lot of people do so said getting you be in a constant misery.

Listen to what Paul said in second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12 are just reading couple days ago and my own personal devotion an early morning I was reading this passage jumped up to me is what Paul said the day measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves that are not wise than otherwise walking around with a measuring tape and say well you know he she is more successful, the plenty of them.

If you see how much success the more successful somebody else. If you are trying to measure and see how articulate somebody else in your measure and see how more intellectual somebody else and you are somebody more wealthy than your somebody more beautiful than you.

Somebody more popular than you. If you go around a measuring tape with me assure you it will make you miserable every time it will make you unhappy every day now to tell you something else that I have learned about the deceptiveness of covetousness, covetousness has very little to do with what you have nothing to do. In fact, what you have not many years ago I was in the presence of a man who's a billionaire in the Third World country and think about this at billionaire and 1/3 world country not talk about billions of dollars in US standards in the Third World country.

I tell you I walked out of there and neither wanted to weep because he was the most miserable man I've ever met in my life. By the same token I have met people who barely have enough to do anything in there that are rejoicing in the Lord every day. Covetousness is deceptive is a second CD contentment is delightful. Contentment is delightful though the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 411 is it I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances and all the read you actually JB Phillips paraphrasing of that verse.

Okay this would JB Phillips paraphrase the verse. He said I know now how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous in general and in particular I have learned the secret of facing either plenty of poverty I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives within me.

I was thinking about how contentment operates and God somehow has a sense of humor always gonna teach me firsthand. He knows I'm a little thick and I got a get it in the somehow in my head and I already thought about what I meant said in August. Something happened just last week I was driving my car in peace, singing that none of you in the car is singing now is joyful. Somebody cut in front of me and I lost my joy is what I think about contentment here. You are going along life's highway going and everything seemed to be fine. The sun is shining skies blue and everything is just fine and then you hit a roadblock in whatever you roadblock might be in everybody's roadblock might be different from the other.

Somebody thinks will that is worse than the other but look whatever it is it's made for you and it is health roadblock. Whether it is relationship roadblock on his financial outlook will be asked for what you there are two ways to react to that.

To give you first. The reaction of the person who been enrolled in the school of contentment in which the apostle Paul said he learned I honestly cannot say that I can say that I am learning that I'm progressing that I've come a long way. I don't think I could say maybe to dinner my life I could say in all valve loans visit action of a person who's going through the school of contentment is going to see this as an opportunity for double blessing while there's an opportunity here to blessings number one blessing number one.

I'm going to see it as an opportunity to practice trusting God afresh to see it as an opportunity to see God use this blog for his glory and for my good blessing number two you gonna say I'm gonna see this is an opportunity for God to show me once again that he and he alone can fill the empty void in my life this into Hebrews 13 five said be contented with whatever you have. Why, because he will never leave you nor forsake for those who have not begun to enroll in the school of contentment. I can tell you you don't have to tell me if I'm right or wrong you figure it out at home, but I can promise you this is what's going on in your life right now is it how do you know that all that will be a secret between the two of us is what you doing you going around around around around around around around the ranch. This the children of Israel when they got out of Egypt.

They refuse to learn this lesson deposit of left so what's the 40s when around without unwrapping the round without looking at the same stinking bushes and rocks and saying that over and over and over and over again because like the guy who was complaining from not getting the promotion. He said I have 25 years experience in his boss said no you don't. You have one years experience repeated 25 times. This I often tell folks when they come and talk to us and look. Do not waste your pain. Do not place to suffer and do not waste it. Do not just say good I can teach the Lord. I want to learn the lesson I want to say with the apostle Paul would have learnt.

But you know those words of Paul tell me it tells me that the apostle Paul was not a contented fella by nature, but he had to learn the it tells me that Paul was not patient by makeshift.

You have to learn it and that brings me a lot of comfort through the painful and the crushing experiences in his life. He began to moan that contentment is delightful and that contentment delights itself and trusting God. In fact, I'm so my favorite verses the ones immediately before trip before the chapter 3 verses seven and eight and I truly can say those words with the apostle Paul is what he said he said so many things I thought were really important. But now I have learned this lesson the contentment. Now that I have my eyes fixed on the prize. They have become rubbish. Some of you are saying Michael Michael Michael, do you mean to tell me that's success in seeking success is wrong.

Read my lips, I did not say that I believe with all my heart. God wants you to be successful. I believe that with every fiber of my being, God brings you to be successful. I am not preaching that all listen to me, but I'm going to tell you something else that if success is your only aim in life.

I can tell you was shucking. I can tell you from first-hand experience that when you get there you will not be contented. You will not be contented. I can testify to you and I know in my own life the close walk with the Lord. The more I am able to experience contentment in the midst of turmoil you say is it easy.

No. Is it easier, yes. She wants her enrolled in the school. It is easier at the folks I work harder in my first year in seminary than I work for my entire PhD program you see as you grow a new mature gets easier. Never easy, but gets easier, but the one thing I want to tell you is this for you and me to experience contentment when there is smooth sailing is one thing but the experience contentment when the window going to stuff when the wind is blowing in your face is a whole different experience. Today, you can begin to move from covetousness to content today, you can begin enrolling in school content. Thank you for joining Dr. Michael you sat new episode of leading the way audio if you are living a life of discontent speaking with someone about a relationship with Christ would help, talk to one of leading the race, pastoral team members all you do is just a short contact form at LTW.Ward/Jesus hey before our time is gone.

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