Read Romans 8:1-5 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
You’re standing in front of a refrigerator. You know the last thing you need is that piece of chocolate cake. You took at it and you want it. But you haven’t yielded yet. You take out the cake and put it on the counter; you’re on the edge. You take a knife and cut a big piece and begin to stuff it in your mouth - you’re done. The struggle is over. You’ve yielded.
When we dwell on desire, yielding to it is only a matter of time.
Remember the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness after their miraculous escape from Egypt? Remember the supernatural way God fed, led and cared for their needs? But soon they started to covet what they ate back in Egypt - where they were in bondage and slavery. Numbers 11:4 says, “Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us to eat?”"
They “yielded to intense craving” which literally means, they “craved a craving”. They started looking for something else to make them happy. They wanted to want something other than what they had. They said (v.5), “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons.” In the desert, God daily crafted a miracle for them but it wasn’t enough. “Oh, the fish! And the cucumbers!”
We are just like the children of Israel. It is impossible for us to dwell on desire for any length of time without rationalizing a way to get it by making the particular sin more attractive and accessible than it really is. When we dwell on desire, yielding is only a matter of time.
So what’s the big deal? Most of us want things we cannot have. The problem is that at the root of covetousness is a rejection of God’s sufficiency. In effect, we are slapping God’s hand by saying, “What You’re given me isn’t enough, God. Nice try. You promised to be all I need, but You’re just not meeting my expectations.”
What will it take for us to come to that settled place where the central passion of our lives is, “God, I just want You. Your joy, peace, fullness, and friendship - that’s enough for me?”
- James MacDonald -
Responding - Pray each day to guard yourself against coveting things over God’s provision.
Following - Don’t slap away the hand of God’s sufficiency.
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Read 2 Corinthians 9:8-14 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
Do you know who the happiest person in the world is? I do. I don’t know their name or where they live, but I know the happiest person on earth is a righteous person. Righteousness is not cod liver oil you have to swallow. Righteousness is shedding all of the things that make you miserable and embracing fully the path that God has laid out that leads to peace, joy, and fulfillment.
We see in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 that God pours out different kinds of blessing in our lives: finances, righteousness, ministry, relationships, and worship. To conclude this section, Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” Simply said, “Only Christ could do this in a person’s life.” Only He could take selfish, self-oriented, hoard-for-me-and-nobody-else kind of people (and that’s what we were) and cause us to love others and to love to give to others. He says, in effect, “Praise God. Generosity produces abundant worship!”
The most wonderful thing that life has to offer is the opportunity for us to be used by God. Have you had a chance recently to talk about God and what He’s done for you? When you do, people recognize that your faith is not just a talk thing, it’s a walk thing. They see that something real is going on in your life. If God is blessing you this way, then you’re going to be in read demand. If you’re ready to teach or encourage or minister in whatever way God’s Spirit has gifted you, you may become popular. One of the abundant blessing of a generous life is you have a lot of really great relationships. If you’re feeling alone, move as quickly as you can to a generous and giving, others-oriented kind of life and you will have all the people you can handle and others waiting in line.
If you are a loving, humble, giving person, filled with peace and joy, then you are one of the happiest people in the world indeed.
- James MacDonald -
Responding - Am I happy? Perhaps my answer lies in my pursuing God’s righteousness in my life. In what areas do I want to grow in the coming months?
Following - Righteousness leads to joy.
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Read Philippians 3:1-3 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh
I’ll never forget that Sunday morning. I was hanging out with a bunch of my “cool” junior high friends before Sunday school. Walking toward us was a visitor to our class, wearing a chain of perfect attendance awards pinned to his lapel. As he approached, our attitude about him was anything but sanctified. We thought to ourselves: Who does he think he is? We immediately dismissed him as a candidate for the “in” group. Not one of my finer moments, I must admit, but a good illustration of what happens when people flaunt their own accomplishments.
The early church at Philippi had similar problems. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul spoke forcefully against the “Judaizers” who were flaunting the fact that they kept the religious customs of the law, including circumcision. Their self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude was a source of conflict and division in the church. Paul’s advice? Stop rejoicing in your own accomplishments, and start rejoicing in the Lord.
When he commanded the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord, he wasn’t calling for glib expressions of “praise Jesus!” He was calling for something deeper: a call to forsake our absorption with things that elevate us and instead to live in a way that makes Jesus the focus of our “bragging rights”. To illustrate this, Paul gave a personal testimony in verses 4-6. After listing his own accomplishments, he said that he had learned to count it all “as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my lord”.
The lesson for us is that there are no “blue-ribbon” Christians. There is no spiritual caste system that separates the high performers from the others. We all have one blue ribbon: Jesus. Whatever it is in your life that you want to brag about - don’t. As Jeremiah said, “Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 9:24)
When we begin bragging about Jesus and His wonderful grace in our lives, we can replace the “Who does he think he is?” attitude with the desire to say, “Let me tell you who He is!”
- Joe Stowell -
Responding - In what ways have I felt tempted to flaunt my own accomplishments above the Lords?
Following - Jesus is the only Legitimate cause for rejoicing!
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Read Philippians 4:6-13 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Contentment is a rare gem. They are rare gems, aren’t they? The enemy loves to see us discontented. Why? The lives of contented Christians testify that Christ can deliver what the gods of this world can’t. Wherever contentment exists, a jewel thief lurks nearby. Philippians 4 identifies five thieves of contentment:
- Pettiness. Two women who worked with Paul in the ministry had one little problem: they couldn’t get along. “I entreat Euodia and… Syntyche to agree in the Lord” (v.2-3). Pettiness sours a servant’s heart and steals contentment.
- Anxiety. Nothing robs us of contentment more than anxiety. How do we turn off the valve that pumps anxiety into our souls?
- Destructive thinking. Our human natures tend toward negative and destructive thinking, a thief that takes diligence to overcome. Worthy thought patterns are a key to contentment.
- Resistance to learning. Paul had “learned” to be content in all circumstances (v.11). No one is born with contentment. We learn it. Paul learned from experience that God is faithful. There is no circumstance we can meet that He can’t handle.
- Independence. Finally, refusing to rely on God robs us of contentment. Through countless ups and downs, Paul learned he could do everything God called him to do, but only through Christ who strengthened him (v.13). God will meet our needs. We can’t do it on our own.
Contentment is a rare gem. Don’t let it be taken from you.
– Beth Moore –
Responding - What thief of contentment do I battle with? Why can’t I find contentment on my own?
Following - Through Christ, we can be content in any situation.
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