On Finding Contentment With God

Many have already spoken about the modern fallacies being promoted from many modern pulpits. Some of us realize that it is foolishness to pray for worldly stuff like money or fame or even long life if it goes against the plans the Lord has already designed for us. I'm not saying having lots of money or being famous or wanting to be healthy is wrong in and of itself. What I am saying is that those things can become our god and be put in place of true worship of God. True worship, by the Biblical standard, says we will trust God even when we go through extreme hardship or poverty and lack of worldly comforts.

Again I hope that when you read what I'm saying you don't think I'm promoting being a monk, or nun, or Amish, and I'm not saying that the Lord cannot reach such persons as they mortify their flesh in these externals, but that isn't what I'm talking about.

Well then, what am I talking about? I'm....
.....talking about what Paul said:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, 
for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. 
In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.   
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

(Philippians 4:11-13 KJV)


God can use whatever we are going through to bring us closer to Himself, to bring us closer to the Truth (Romans 8:28) and when we see those who claim to love the Lord curse Him when things don't go the way they think they should go, or when they cast spurious judgments against God's righteousness by saying ___(fill in the blank)___ doesn't pass their test for what God should be doing in order for Him to be right and holy, or what have you... I tend to have to agree with the scriptures that such people do not love God or the Truth, and I seriously wonder if they truly are in Christ, which then has me praying for them to truly turn to Jesus for their souls to be cleansed of such unrighteousness. Why would anyone believe that God has to be obedient to man's ideas of righteous behavior??? Because man has been taught from birth to believe the lies of this world, the lies that spring from our sinful flesh. And how can I penetrate that with anything the Lord has shown me about such junk? How can I? I can't. I cannot, truly, I cannot, though I have tried and tried by my own strength and God-given abilities to reach others with their blatant errors and blasphemies against a Holy God, it reaches deaf ears and earns me their mockery and their condescension (which they never fail to accuse me of by the way, because obviously to themselves they are not being haughty and condescending and yet they detect it, so therefore it must be me).

We cannot take the things of this world with us into the next world. How often have we heard the saying "you can't take it with you" ? True. Everything in this world is temporary. It is corrupting and tarnishing, turning to dust right now as you read this. We ourselves are dying (speaking of this mortal flesh). One day we will die and stand before Jesus.

What will matter in that day?

Will having prayed to Him for wealth, or for a bigger house or car, or for our pastor to get a bigger church, will that matter to Jesus when we stand before Him?

What should we be praying for?
What should we be doing?
What kind of treasure can be laid up in heaven?

Those are three questions I want to explore and post about in the coming weeks, and will seek the Lord in His word as I ponder these things.