God's Boundaries for Abundant Living - Why We Have So Much and Enjoy it So Little, Part 2

Are you tired of chasing the wind.

I mean, you know, the next big thing. The car the home. The marriage kids. The next big thing. The next big race thinking that when you get that you will really be content. Today I want to give you three keys to genuine contentment and how to restore joy.

Welcome to this Wednesday edition of living on the judge with shipping Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry featuring the Bible teaching of chirping, is that your preface of our series on the 10 Commandments with a look at how to enjoy life more by living with less and less may be a gateway to experiencing more peace than you ever thought possible valid storage of part two of his message why we have so much and enjoy it so little from Exodus chapter 20 verse 17 and the fourth evidence of the covetousness is conflict. James, for once, is what causes conflict and quarrels among you, don't they come from the desires that's our world lost passions that battle within you in the corporate world are high seen in the ministry world when someone covets someone else's job, they start making innuendos in the corporate world about how that guy doesn't really do a good job or how she doesn't do a very good job and they drop little little things here. What is they want to move up in a way to move up as get rid of that person.

So what happens conflict or you have to go to corporate good average marriage but yet you realize the number one cause of divorce and average marriage is centering around the issue of finances.

You know what and it was revealed values. She wants this. He wants that can handle he wants to save some. She wants to spend some she wants to say something he wants to buy this and get to the end of the month and revealed all kind of pressures and differences in values and you have quarrels and conflicts. Why, because of the designers that the passionate desires. We can't be a happy family. If we don't have this we can have a happy family. As we live in this, how we can be a happy couple, must we say so much mud and where there the conflict rises up, in fact, if you want to see the truth of this. Just get to toddlers and three cookies. You don't have to learn this one.

Give me any to toddlers three cookies in the room. You will have a fight. Why then are Adamic DNA we cut we want with someone else as test. I think of friendship is when you hear something awesome and wonderful and great about a friend and your initial response. Genuine joy when you're both single and longing for a date and haven't had one and then they get one with the guy that you think while he's a great guy and is a holy guy and all the rest in your immediate response is not why did he asked me instead of her. It's thank you, Lord, when someone that you are friend with gets the promotion and is able to get the house and their priorities are in order and you say wow that be great for you. I'm so excited when someone has a success or makes the big sale when your immediate reaction is while that's great. I got a friend like that, and Steve and I'll never forget, we arrived we were on like three or four, five radio stations and there is one big one that I mean it was going to be outrageously expensive and God did a miracle, and we ended up doing some things and I think he was about four times as happy about that event that was so humbling and and we were we been buddies for 18 or 20 years now and and he's watched as we've been together and we both came out of his little church a 35 people and he started out as a defensive coordinator football coach in the town and later he came on staff and we got to do the run together there in Texas and then we did another 1011 years here and and just God started doing things in my life and I think the person other than probably my wife and family that were more amazed and overjoyed, genuinely about the blessing success of my life with Steve and then he would he really begin to talk to me about okay here's here's an and you protect yourself and there's can be new pressures and like he took on personally, I want you to be successful and I mean is like wow this is awesome. And then we kinda laugh and we had breakfast. I told you about one of the California and he turned to me, because we used to go to elders meetings that always went to midnight and back in little Texas town and there's only like 4500 people.

I mean, that was the metro area of Kaufman Texas and the and so the only thing open was 711 and Steve and I would after elders meeting about 12 o'clock we go to 711 and get you. This is really rank burritos that you can put in the microwave and we would put those thing in get a Diet Coke and sit out side next to the car and talk about what God was doing we had breakfast. He said God's done a lot since those brief since those burritos at 711 and is now senior pastor Richardson's growing and doing amazing things for the test of friendship is do you rejoice when something great happens to a friend and final symptom here is dissatisfaction.

You will never be satisfied if you long to be rich and I would add or famous, or have a perfect life or you fill it in. You will never get all you want. Success is always a moving target. Coveting robs us of the achievement that we can enjoy and it shows contempt for God's grace provision did you ever think about it that way when you just never ever ever satisfied with what God is giving you this kind of contempt were God when you do this and he does a nuance knife and is what I want.

Many dozen human. God is not what any we get to the point where I wonder if the Lord to sometimes crosses his arms and said you know what what I just let you experience some not. Instead of some blessing, because no matter what I do all you want is more because you bought into the more is better.

Bigger is better when I get this then I'll be happy fatigue that worry conflict is status. Dissatisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10. You don't how much of this could be behind in your heart behind.

Maybe some issues you've been thinking about all week in the 10 Commandments.

Could it be that some unresolved anger some murderous thoughts are, really, because there's conflict toward someone because you want something you can get it couldn't be that you unconsciously lie or even steel could be found out we were all thieves because there's some desires and you can't get it in a way you think you can get it is to take a shortcut or say something is not true. Could it be that God is no longer your God, but there is an idol because unconsciously you covet, you believe this job or this person or this thing will really make you happy. You see where one once you break the power of coveting in your life.

The other nine commands begin to fall into place. Let's get to the positive side you look a little depressed on film.

That way, looking at your faces. You're looking at me like man I thought the first nine were tough and this is really really what you want. There's good news and the good news is that the reason God wants you not to covet is he has a desire for you to be content and has a desire for you to be pure because purity produces peace and joy and love and God wants you to experience that. And as long as there's this little motor inside got have got have got have got have. He's got I when he got as long as you have that you'll never have peace you'll never have joy you'll never be able to enjoy and love the people that are in front of you because you always be thinking about what you really need that would really make you happy tomorrow for the next day or next year, but to give you three keys to discovering this kind of contentment. In Philippians 412, the apostle Paul says, first of all, were not going to get it overnight. It's a process I have learned Circle the word. Learn what you I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. That means that there was a day when the apostle Paul woke up and he thought more was better. There was a day when he when then when I'm a superduper superduper Pharisee, then, and he learned that that didn't work and he got dissolution, but he learned as early apostle. I bet there were days he got up about just preach more to more people and preach all the Gentiles men and finally he learned I learned to be content that you know even though I'm in jail and it doesn't make sense because I have this mission to reach the whole world. I'm been a trusted God to get up every day I'm gonna set the goals I'm gonna pray and ask God for grace and I'm gonna busted but Lord, you're in control and I'm to be content where they have a little financially for a lot of community content, whether I'm out on the trail preaching, teaching, for I don't know why you got me in this prison because I'm not doing anything, writing a few letters. I'm glad he was in prison. Are you but what he learned was to be a guy chain.

Next time you know for this has turned out for my deliverance. Your prayers and the provision of Christ Jesus, I want you know that although some people are preaching Christ from envy and strife.

I'm here with the whole praetorian God guard and God is using it for his greater glory. The word of God is going out like never before and those believers here in the Philippian church are more bold than ever before because of my prison pieces.

I learned I learned that just because circumstances aren't the way I want them. I've learned that just because I don't have as much as I like. I learned that even when I have a lot by the way, I'm learning there. It takes as much grace and maybe more grace to be content when God gives you more than you ever dreamed. Then when you really hurt, especially financially, to learn to receive and enjoy what God gives you, and be generous with it. I think often is even harder because you know it when when you don't have anything member those earlier. Some of us marriage and you know we were trying to find quarters in the backseat and we went 15 days in seminary never ate any need or didn't go to grocery store and took five dollars with 13 other couples went to the farmers market and we ate all vegetables and Teresa made bread from from whole wheat flour. I mean we just we lived on about 900 $800 a month. You know what we were rich in faith. We believe God is were happy days. They were hard. They were wonderful. We learn to be content, but I think sometimes it's it's it takes more grace as God has given many people in this room a lot. How do you know how much is enough. How do you learn to enjoy richly what is given you, but not let it cling to. Let me give you three ways I think that you can do that and I will wrap it up number one stop comparing yourself with others, for this gets to the heart of it, you want to be content you want joy you really want to stop coveting okay. Stop comparing yourself with others. Apostle Paul says in synchrony. Things 1012 for we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves, but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves. They are without understanding the effect is stronger than that, but without understanding, they're not crazy. It's illogical.

It's irrational. Don't compare yourself with other people. Don't compare your house with their house.

Your body with their body. Your car with their car your abilities with their abilities. Your girlfriend boyfriend with their girlfriend or boyfriend. Your wife, your husband with their wife, their husband don't compare intelligence don't compare jobs don't compare social skills don't compare education don't compare spirituality. Don't compare looks don't compare anything and I love the look you given is like what I do with all that free time in my brain because that's what we do.

We, we, I mean we just were unconsciously experts at it right you walk in the malt of, namely that kid with orange orange here why we, if you can wear three earrings you want.

I can't believe that you see that guy over there. You come to look at the time she is.

He thinks he's really cool. You know those kind issues that are of you see her made easier to see that top she had on last night at the dinner. This is a Christian conference at Laura while you see you see that guy is 40 years old. He's got muscles muscle behind his ears and would think about that. I don't know but I when this other guy you see is what you know those new kind of Rolex as a kid did you see you can see what he sees, you and we just we just do it.

You drive up to the stoplight and you look overweight if you start compare you walk into a Starbucks in your line when you start compare and you go to church. You hear someone saying what he do if your musical start compare and if you play an instrument of someone's a plane is what you start. Compare, we compare with impairment compare with impairment compare with compare when we do it we are without understanding Bob he says I'm not bold the class or compare ourselves with some of those commend themselves. When you measure yourself by themselves, you without understanding now I know what you thinking what am I to do with this free time if I don't compare myself. How about admire. Just as a thought.

How about while the guys probably worked out hard and I admire he's really made the best of his body.

Now I issues for me but I admire that guy's courage to wear those in public you know you know whenever possible.

One, you know, why not walk through someone's house and admire and say Lord this is wonderful. I have no idea. You know people's hearts, but I'll take I'm so glad you gave them this you know I'm kind of glad they have a focus we can swim in it any time I had to do any of the upkeep, Lord, thank you very much you know what we admire and thank God and praise God and not judge motives and not put in expectations not think we know what people's thinking where their hearts rather why they do what they do. Since we don't know any of that and were forbidden to judge why don't we just admire and say hey great. In fact, with all that free time I want to give you the next step beyond admiring is to rejoice and give thanks and what you do have, once you admires. I got I'm I'm glad that by the way this works this really works.

I am driven some really dumpy cars and got up next to some real nice cars and started down that path and with when I stopped of our Lord. Thank you for this Chevy nova. Lord, thank you that even in Texas without air-conditioning that it runs. Lord, thank you that you and I never dreamed I get to go to seminary and I don't have money for car, but you provided this. And Lord, thank you, and you guess what I'm not looking at that car anymore, and thank you God that whenever you want me to get a better one.

I'd appreciate it.

And Lord, thank you that if I ever get air-conditioning. I'll tell you what, I'll be most grateful cool dude you've ever met because after I get out of the car if you like to change shirts Texas in the summer but thank you Lord. See if you begin to rejoice and give thanks and what you do have it changes things. I put a couple passages for you to meditate on and I suggest maybe some of these you write down a 3 x 5 card and and you just kinda might read him overnight in the morning and and put a few to memory. Ecclesiastes 519 says if God gives man wealth and property, and and lets him enjoy them.

He should be grateful and enjoy what he is work for it is a gift from God.

I think we need to very clearly carefully teach and preach that it is a very serious sin to be materialistic and I think materialism is, as I think it was John White entitled the book the sacred cow of the American church. Could we rationalize, but there's a balancing thing that needs to be taught when your priorities are in order when you're giving generously when your heart is free before God.

The Bible says God chooses at times to give wealth and add no sorrow to it and Ecclesiastes says if if God should choose you know what it wealth doesn't have to have the power to make you happy, as evidenced by many many many wealthy people and wealth doesn't have the power to make you sad but what it is. It's a stewardship given from God. If God would choose your thinking well yeah those wealthy people you are those wealthy people. Okay you you live in America you are wealthy people. You drive a car, you have a house you own a house in the top 1% of the world you know what what I find is were so self-conscious is we don't. On the positive side, if you drive a Lexus and your priorities in order. Enjoy it. We if you get a really nice suit and you need a really nice suit for what you do in your generous with your money and your priorities in order. Don't come he got it on sale in the 17 reasons of for this reason, and you know is because they're having a blowout sale and because that because I never really I hear Christians all the time apologizing instead of giving thanks what God gave.

If God gave you something nice in your priorities in order to save. Yes, the Lord, what you know I don't deserve this, but the Lord is been so gracious what you think let some guy was staring thinking.

These were weird. She is like a worm in public.

I think the really cool and Lord came to me. I'm not but we gotta get that balance where we give thanks and enjoy what God has given you notice he goes on to say, do all things without grumbling or disputing the may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.

If you really want to know if you're coveting or not, whether you whether your genuinely thankful or not, whether you're really rejoicing or not. Just listen to what comes out your mouth and when it's I mean it's amazing isn't instead of thanking God for the house. I do have I complain about what's wrong about the housework and they can be satisfied for we remodel the kitchen or until we do this and it's only has so many square feet many more square feet and I like this car but this is what I needed all these closer okay but this is what I really need and you know the schools okay but when I get to this golden goes on and on and on, rejoice in.

Thank God and focus on what you do have asked God what he wants you to do set goals, develop strategies Pray be moving toward whatever he wants, but until he gives you something different. It is the will of God today to say thank you for the wife you do have the husband you do have the limited health. You do have the finances you do have the kids that you do have the heart for God, that you do have the close that you do have the country that you do live in and you rejoice and you thank God for what you do have, instead of focusing on what you don't have, in fact, you look that last verse on the page. Every time you do that you're right in the center of God's will for this is the will of God for you right what is it that you give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for the command and give thanks in all circumstances. Circle the word all you do know what the Greek word for all is urine for this event.

Exhaustive research.

It's all means everything. It just means give thanks for all things, not the things you live, not the things that are lined up the way you want. Give thanks for all things.

This is not a high-five gliding you know I'm I'm thankful that you are my best friend just got cancer. This is a willful from the heart sing. Lord I don't understand why my best friend got cancer, but I'm going to choose to give thanks that because you are good and you are sovereign you are faithful that you will work in the situation for good will you please deliver give the doctors wisdom heal my friend but father I will I refuse to get better. I refuse to get resentful. It is a fallen world. I choose to. Thank you that you will bring good out of this and so I thank you for the situation now using help my friend got I thank you this day for my family got.

I thank you so much for the body that you gave me.

Yeah, I'm working on some things. Thank you for the body, Lord, thank you for the education you granted me. Thank you for the abilities you granted me. Thank you for the spiritual gifts you granted me, Lord, thank you for these opportunities.

You've given me, Lord, thank you for the friends that you brought into my life, Lord, thank you for the opportunities that I never dreamed I would have. And you start to rejoice and think on those things. It will kill coveting I mean it will take coveting right out of the knees and guess what you'll start to like yourself is not to be grateful for who you are because I don't know who those people are make up the styles and I don't know who the people are the decide who are like the 10 sexiest, best looking, whatever on the front of people magazine, but I just don't think Jesus is the one picking just the thought. I don't think that's the standard and you let personally on the side. I'm not can be brainwashed and I'm not buying into it and I don't think that's how God looks at beauty. I think man looks on the outward appearance of think God looks on the heart, I want to be thankful for what I do have.

I want to focus on what is real and what is true and what is noble and what is honorable and what is praiseworthy and anything of excellent and want to dwell on those things. And when you do and when I do you know what your circumstances, this is great. Your circumstances cannot change one iota. You may not even lose the 5 pounds you may not even get the promotion. Your circumstances cannot change it all but you are the product of your thinking and as a man or woman thinks in her heart so you become, you begin to thank God for what you do have and come up with a plan to deal with the issues that need to be addressed in your joy level with your circumstances not changing at all will just start to rise and rise and rise. Another interesting thing it'll give you the strength and the focus and energy to deal with some of the things he struggle with 1 Final Way to be content, and to kick kick coveting out of your life. One stop comparing yourself with others, to rejoice and give thanks in what you do have and three share what I have, to help others.

Keyword is share share what I had to help others.

Paul writes to Timothy in first Timothy 617 in 19 command those who are rich in this present world. It's all of us in this room and what's the command one not to be arrogant to don't put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but three to put their hope in God, who richly supplies us with everything for our enjoyment.

Command them to be to do good and to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share the apostle Paul says you will be content look tell those people it that have a lot don't be arrogant. Don't buy into the false belief that those things will satisfy. Don't put your health hope in wealth. Why is it so uncertain it so uncertain. The markets this wife you can crash in a minute.

You can be literally in the Silicon Valley last few years.

You can be a millionaire one day and then broke the next effects on people with tax laws work they were worth millions and millions of dollars that they had to pay taxes on. And then it went to nothing. They had taxes on all this big money and it never paid gotten this is a warning because God loves us and cares for success is to uncertain but he says put your hope in God, but your hope in the one who gave the 10 commands.

Put your hope in the Lord Jesus. Why is he richly provides everything for your enjoyment. This is not a withholding God. This is not a God, but never wants to give you something nice or good or pleasant, or even material. He wants to give you all things to enjoy.

So what you do when he gives you these things teach them to do good. That's good works. Take the stuff that God gives you and share to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share realize that everything you have is dropped into your hands. It doesn't belong to you is his and he gets to pick whatever out of it any time to share with other people create a generous mindset where you realize your time, your talent, your energy, your money, your stuff your home your pool, your car, it's just vehicles to share and help people. And when you have the kind of mindset. Here's the promise in this way, the way of treasure for themselves which is awesome eternal impact has a firm foundation for the coming age so that they might take hold of the life that is truly life.

That's where we started.

You want to take hold of the life the rich life the abundant life. The satisfied life the piece life. The life filled with loving deep relationships.

It will never happen unless you break the power of coveting you want to take over the life that's really life.

He says stop comparing with other people. Rejoice and give thanks for what you do have and then come up with a systematic way to share what you have bless others and I encourage you doing little things doing little things learn to share your time, learn to share the place in the line.

Learn to share your money. Learn to share your stuff. Once you learn to do it little things that will become just a way what you want is you want to get new glasses and glasses are called generosity in every situation. You're not asking how much for me.

You're asking.

I wonder how I can bless someone in, and here's the deal. I do not understand this at all. Give, and it will be given to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over back into your life for in the same measure or amount that you give to others it will be given unto you the divine paradox is the moment you stop coveting and start sharing and saying life is a stewardship and you start giving away time and energy and resources.

This bizarre deal happens, God pours it back into your lap and all the things that you're going after the peace and the joy, encouragement, and often the blessing God gives.

Just give but the way to get there back in just a minute, but if you're just joining your listing to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chips message why we have so much and enjoy it so little is from his series God's boundaries for abundant living is to be explained rather than a rigid list of don'ts, the 10 Commandments are really guardrails that keep us position for amazing blessing creating a solid foundation for every aspect of life. God's boundaries provides a high view of God.

It'll give you a fresh appreciation of your relationship with them. If you'd like a deeper more meaningful understanding of God's boundaries. We want to help for limited time, the CDs for God's boundaries are discounted and the MP3s are absolutely free.

You'll find God's boundaries resources on our website LivingontheEdge.org or to talk with one of our customer care representatives. Just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003.

Thanks Dave. I'll be right back to share some very specific application to today's message before I do, just a quick reminder today is the last day of this series, God's boundaries for abundant living. It's been a long series on the 10 Commandments and just let me encourage you if God has spoken to you if you kinda had this intention to get the CDs or download the MP3s. Do it today. Today is the last day turned your good intentions to action or you'll find the CDs of the series on our website LivingontheEdge.org and is always well. This series is only here the MP3s are available there, absolutely free. God's boundaries for abundant living. Get a copy for yourself but also maybe think about someone who would really be encouraged by the teaching you've heard today and get a copy for them to while you're there, check out the free online video course from chip called how to hear God's voice in Scripture, it would make a great companion study to God's boundaries. Now, with a final thought.

Here's chip as we wrap up and close this entire series. This might be a series that you need to review and let me encourage you. In fact, those of you that teach whether it's Sunday school or small group Bible study you can go online at http://livingontheedge.org and you can download the notes to every single one of these messages on the 10 Commandments. Here's the deal. These are the very words of God coming. The Bible is God's word. But when God gave literally that the Old Testament calls it the 10 words he boiled down to these boundaries. These things about worshiping him, and these truths about every relationship relationship with your parents relationship with one another. These are the boundaries. These are the guardrails that God set forth at Sinai and there to give you an abundant life.

When you understand these boundaries especially filtered to the teachings of Jesus and understand these are grace gifts for normal people like you and me. And when you follow them by the power of the Holy Spirit as you do.

Life and community. These guardrails will keep you on a path and over and over in the Old Testament, you know, the wisest man of the world talks about the ways of God. The path of God, the wisdom of God the wisdom of God is understanding how God designed life to work and doing life is way its knowledge, understanding, and then application at specific times in specific ways where you do life the way God designed it and what Jesus said is that I came the might have life and you might have it abundantly. These are God's boundaries for abundant living and I will tell you the average Christian can't even name the 10 Commandments. Instead, God wants you to name him know them and live them for your joy in his glory. Let me encourage you be a student of God's word grasp the 10 Commandments see them as boundaries and then grow and experience the grace of God. Just before we close. I want to thank those of you who make this broadcast possible through your generous giving Living on the Edge invests those dollars to purchase her time create programs and provide resources to help Christians live like Christians Living on the Edge is been a blessing to you that you prayerfully consider sending a gift today. You can donate online at http://livingontheedge.org or by calling us at 1-888-333-6003. Thank you for your partnership with us. While I hope you'll join us again tomorrow when she begins a new series why I believe Street answers to questions about God, the Bible and Christianity. Now this is the brewery saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge