TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
Read: Philippians 4:11-13
Listen: Philippians 4
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The school of contentment isn’t a one-time thing. It’s not a diploma you hang on the wall and from there move on. As we grow in our contentment journey with Christ, we will learn things again and again and again. There will be seasons where contentment may seem easy and seasons where it may prove elusive. Over time, our desires change, creating new ITs that we need to guard against.
One concept underlying every lesson in this series is that contentment centers on God. The Bible demonstrates God’s character is trustworthy. Jesus’ death on the cross proves his love for us. The Bible tells us repeatedly how much God loves us and how we find our value and identity in him. We are content more easily when we trust God and believe what he says about us. Without God, contentment is fleeting. It’s circumstantial. True contentment is based on God, not stuff. Stuff is temporary; God is eternal.
The School of Contentment has taught us that contentment is not about our circumstances, includes important habits (saving, giving and spending less), is threatened by comparison, can be helped by three questions (where is your hope, where do you serve and how do you share), that everything we have is from God so we should invest in what God’s doing in the world and that Godliness + Contentment = Real Wealth.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Identify your one main takeaway from The School of Contentment. What’s one change you want to make or stick with from this series? Share that with your small group or someone close to you. Feel free to revisit any sermon here.
NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN
Join us this year as we read through the New Testament.
Today’s reading is Mark 8.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
