Happiness and pleasure is one thing, but to be content is a whole other thing. Much in society revolves around discontentment; advertising drives the continual desire for more and better things. However, no sooner do you get something than you’re bombarded with ideas of getting even more, hoping for greater satisfaction.

Likewise, it’s easy for discontentment to flavour our spiritual lives. The flesh continuously craves more, for better and greater. It longs for greater satisfaction with less effort and less sacrifice. Sinfulness constantly puts the Lord and His Church on review, as if mankind can evaluate God.

The apostle Paul lived in and promoted a level of contentment that challenges our modern values. “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Many struggle to accept the painful things in life, never able to say they are content in them.

So, what was it that made the difference for the apostle Paul? What enabled him to possess this unnatural contentment which ruled regardless of circumstances? Paul explains the answer to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter six.

First, Paul explained how the discontented, disgruntled, and agitated false teachers in the church live. These people presented false truth in order to distort Christian reality. They can be men or women of any age in any church as Paul describes in 1 Timothy 6:3-5. Their false beliefs lead to wrong behaviour which obviously damages others and the testimony of the Church, not to mention bringing shame to the Lord’s name. For these people, self must come first.

Second, in contrast to these false teachers, Paul tells Timothy that “there is great gain in godliness with contentment” (1 Timothy 6:6). Notice what comes first, “godliness.” Now there’s a misunderstood word. In the original Greek language of the New Testament, “godliness” depicted a life of God-like character which was flavoured by God’s holiness, particularly in relation to the gospel scheme of life.

Paul explains the gospel scheme of life in Romans chapter 6. “For if we have been united with him [Christ] in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom 6:5). This resurrection is the new Christian life of living like Christ at the cost of self. Paul continues; “now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him” (Rom 6:8). But how you ask? Paul answers; you “must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:11). Contentment begins with total surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. The attitudes and actions that speak “I, mine, and my” are exchanged for “Christ.”

Now, 1 Timothy 6:6 says; “there is great gain in godliness with contentment.” To experience great gain, which is NOT financial profit, is personal God-like character and is to be accompanied by the decision to be content with living the life of Christ as the best expression of God’s character. This is the Christians highest priority; to allow the gospel scheme of life to be your dominating love in life at the expense of self. This is what it means to be content in Christ.

Next week we shall consider some specifics of how to live contentment in Christ. For today, I encourage you to be content in Christ. Invite Him to invade every part of your life. Explore the wonders of salvation in Christ so that your appreciation of Him will flood your mind and heart with contentment. Live it and share it.

 

Be encouraged to live with a faith that is obvious

As I was standing outside the Savusavu Airport watching the sunrise this morning, my thoughts were drawn to the realities of obvious saving faith compared to false man-made faith.

Dead faith (James 2:14-17), that which is self generated, may have the feelings of authenticity, yet lacks the Holy Spirit’s working of regeneration. This fraud faith deceives it’s victims by saying that your good works are sufficient to win God’s approval for heaven. However, it’s the Holy Spirit’s rebirth which produces behaviour that gives evidence of eternal life (John 3:8), not belief in your abilities.

Self generated faith attempts to mimic Christ’s peace, but fails. Instead, it produces an artificial peace “as the world gives” (John 14:27). This only confuses the person with conflicting thoughts and feelings. Realise that it is only “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this [faith] is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). This is what Jesus said would cause your hearts not to be “troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

Jesus explained the obvious evidence this faith produces; “whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). There is no half-heartedness, no turning back, no isolation. The Holy Spirit determines you to produce lifelong fruit which are also dependent upon Christ alone through faith.

Genuine faith agrees with the apostle Paul; you “must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). There is no self in this faith. This new Christ centered mindset lives in an ever present Lord Jesus Christ culture. But how you ask? Because “we know that our old self was crucified with him [Christ]…” (Romans 6:6). So, “you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).

One thing which is true for all of us; “you are slaves of the one whom you obey” (Romans 6:16). Even the pursuit of self centered pleasure in Jesus name makes you a slave to personal pleasure seeking. But Spirit energised faith says that you “have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). Here Christ is the object of your deepest devotion with Him being the destination of your affections, not self. Every facet of life is to be enjoyed and aimed at living His righteous character.

This new faith life is purpose built by God for “the praise of his glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6). Your faith in Christ gives evidence that God has been working from eternity past “according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11). He does this in all believers “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10). Lives centered around faith in Christ speak a loud testimony to all spiritual forces, both good and bad, about the many facets of God’s merciful wisdom worked out through saved sinners.

Today, I encouraged you to live with a faith that is obvious. Let the world know that Christ lives in you. Encourage another believer with these truths. Inform some non-believer that Christ wants to do this work in their lives also. The Saviour will be glorified, your church will be strengthened, others will be inspired, and you will be blessed.

 

I encourage you to serve Christ in building His precious Church

As I’ve had the privilege of sharing God’s Word in Fiji over the past few days, I’ve been reminded of the uniqueness of Christ’s body. There is simply no other organism on earth like the Church, with such a diversity of members which come gifted and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do a humanly impossible job. Not only so, but the faithful members are equipped to encourage one another as well as communicate the good news of Jesus Christ effectively to those yet to be saved.

Consider the apostle Paul’s remarkable relationship with the Church in Thessalinica? He explained how they had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1Th 1:9-10). These Christians were the real deal. They had grasped the fullness of what it meant to be those “who did receive him, who believed in his name…” It was to these people that Christ “gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn 1:12-13).

I feel like Paul as I’ve preached the excellencies of Christ and received such wonderful love and hospitality from the believers of Narere Community Church and Samabula Gospel Chapel. Like Paul, I “give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Th 1:2-3).

I’ve been refreshed as I’ve seen how God gives new life to people of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Indeed, it’s as the Samaritans said in evaluation of Jesus; “we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world” (Jn 4:42). It really is true; Jesus Christ is “God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Ti 2:3-4).

As this body of Christians form the Church which is the “pillar and buttress of the truth” (1Ti 3:15), they have the privilege of displaying “the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph 3:10). “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (Jas 3:14-15).

Beloved, be encouraged to serve Christ in building His precious Church. Keep it clean; encourage and grow it’s members through humble service done in love. Engage in Christ centered worship with heart felt passion for the Saviour. “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour”(Rom 12:10). Invite others into it through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, and “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Co 10:31).

 

Be encouraged to recognise God’s Spirit in salvation

The apostle Paul explains in Ephesians 1:13 the life changing work of the Holy Spirit in salvation. “In him (Christ) you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him (Christ), were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” As always, God’s Spirit is active in people’s lives bringing them to saving faith in Jesus Christ, then sealing their salvation as complete and irreversible.

Salvation brings many changes, but no change would occur without God’s Spirit indwelling and proactively ministering Christ within the new believer. This infiltration is the beginning of the new Christian’s life. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9). Every new believer needs to know that there is no secondary indwelling’s to be had. The new child of God gets to experience the entirety of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation. The first and most obvious evidence is the shift in attitude from being sin and self-centered, to being Christ centered.

One truth leads to another

As we have already learned; the Holy Spirit’s purpose is to promote Jesus Christ as Lord in all things. So, this same purpose should be evidenced through every Spirit filled Christian also. Of course, this can only happen at the exclusion of self. Selfishness is the greatest expression of a sin controlled life, just as selflessness gives evidence to a Spirit controlled life where Christ is Lord.

Paul explained to the Galatian believers how to further identify evidence of Holy Spirit activity in their lives. The positive proofs are visible; as “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Equally, the negative proof is also visible; for those who “walk by the Spirit …will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

It’s incredible, as Christians, to consider that “the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).  Without God’s Spirit there is only enslavement to sin in its various forms and with differing expressions in our differing lives.

Holy Spirit freedom in Christ

With all that said; the Holy Spirit sets the believer free to grow in ever increasing Christ-likeness. Obviously, this does not happen within a day or two. This is a life-long activity which God the Spirit is committed to in every believer’s life. Upon attaining to a new level of Christ’s glory through sanctified living, the Spirit sets about moving the believer towards the next level of Christ-like character. Neither the Holy Spirit nor the believer are ever stagnant in this ongoing business of ever increasing glorification of Christ.

Understanding these truths shines a whole new light on the impact salvation has; because “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Today, be encouraged to recognise God’s Spirit in salvation by recognising His purposeful activity in your life.

 

I encourage you to consider the purposeful ministry of God’s Holy Spirit

God is purposeful in all His activities. Consequentially, one of the many privileges assigned to every believer is a growing desire to know Christ more. Grasping the knowledge of Christ with a sharpening focus and an ever deepening intimacy is an unparalleled honour. As we all know, this developing desire does not come natural to mortals. The truth is, this is the direct work of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Scripture reveals the Spirit’s purposeful interaction with humanity in every sphere of Jesus’s life and ministry. Primary to His divine activity in this world is the promotion and exaltation of Christ. From the initiation of Christ’s incarnation, Mary “was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” As the angel explained to Joseph; “that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18, 20).

When the time for baby Jesus presentation to the Lord arrived, the old man Simeon had already been prepared. “It had been revealed to him (Simeon) by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). “He (Simeon) took him (Jesus) up in his arms and blessed God” (Luke 2:28). The Holy Spirit never seeks attention or glory for Himself, even though He is God. His primary purpose in this world is to promote Christ, to bring praises and glory to God through Christ, and to enable mankind to do the same.

John’s Testimony

John the Baptist gave this testimony; “for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he (Jesus) might be revealed to Israel” (John 1:31). John continues; “He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’” (John 1:33). There exists a powerful synchronism within the Godhead that makes their character and workings inseparable. The Spirit paved the way for Jesus, yet it would be Jesus who would pave the way for the Holy Spirit to enter and seal people’s lives.

The Bible never shows the Holy Spirit doing His own thing. He works in harmony with the Father and Son as the stealth member of the Godhead. He invisibly and sovereignly administers the Fathers will in order for Christ to be revealed. After all, the Spirit revealed to the apostle Paul the Christ centeredness of creation; “all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Therefore, every single atom in the cosmos exists for Christ.

Privilege beyond compare

With that said, Christians have the extraordinary privilege of aligning with the purposeful work of the Holy Spirit. Paul elaborates; “In him (Jesus) you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him (Jesus), were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his (Jesus) glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). From salvation to the glory of eternity, believers are to reveal and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anticipating His departure, Jesus explained what would happen following His ascension. “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). This is the legacy left to us who are in Christ.

Today, be encouraged to consider the purposeful ministry of God’s Holy Spirit. Share it, pass it on, assure God’s children with it.