Qualities of a pure heart 5 Contentment v

Qualities of a pure heart - 5

Contentment v “To be sufficient, to be possessed of sufficient strength, to be strong, to be enough for a thing. ” (Vine’s)

Contentment Satisfied, moderation, sufficient, enough. v The opposite of covetous or dissatisfied. v An attitude of mind. How do you view your current state of affair! v

Contentment Does NOT mean laziness or complacency. v Laziness is refusal to act (Prov. 6: 10 -11, 20: 13, 2 Thess. 3: 6 -7, 10, Heb. 6: 12) Complacency – Rom. 12: 11, Rev. 3: 15 -18, Jas. 4: 17 v

Contentment Discontent leads to… v Jealousy, envy, debt, worldliness, bitterness, etc. v

Contentment v Philippians 4: 10 -13 In whatever state I am sufficient with what he has. v “Not that I speak in regard to need. ” v WHEN needed – both in want AND abundance! Eccl. 5: 10 v

Contentment v 1 Tim. 6: 6 -8 “godliness with contentment is great gain. ” v We brought nothing into this world…(1 Jn. 2: 17, Matt. 6: 19 -21) v Content with food and clothing – Do we really need everything we have? v

Contentment v v Heb. 13: 5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things that you have. ”

Contentment v 2 Cor. 9: 8, “sufficiency” same word as content! v Matt. 16: 26, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world…” v Luke 3: 14, “Be content with your wages…”

Contentment v Prov. 30: 7 -9, “Give me neither poverty nor riches – Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord? ’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God. ”

Contentment v Prov. 24: 19 -20, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the wicked; For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out. ”

Contentment v Prov. 15: 16, “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble. ”

Contentment Developing a content heart v It is something that is learned – Phil. 4: 11 -13 v Count your blessings v Realize what is really important v Give thanks

Contentment Developing a content heart v Learn to trust God and appreciate Him – Phil. 4: 13 v Live within your means!

Unselfish! Selfishness is placing one’s own interests over that of others. Vanity, greed, hatred, lust, etc. v Unselfishness is placing the interest of others above your own. Willing to share! v

Unselfish! v Problems with selfishness – we think about ourselves, even in helping others (cf. Lk. 18: 12, Ac. 5: 1 -11, 1 Cor. 13: 3) Tearing down others, division, stagnation in a congregation. Hindered prayers. Adversity in relationships. Lack of self-control, entitlement attitude, Gal. 5: 19 -21, Jas. 3: 13 -16, 4: 1

Unselfish Examples v God, the ultimate example John 3: 16 v Jesus, John 15: 13 v Paul, Phil. 3: 7 -9, 2 Cor. 12: 15

Unselfish Examples v Barnabas – Acts 4: 36 -37 v Macedonian brethren – 2 Cor. 8: 1 -5

Unselfish Phil. 2: 3 -4, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition. . . ” v James 3: 17, The wisdom from above is, “willing to yield” v 1 Cor. 13: 4, Love, “does not seek its own” v

Unselfish Rom. 15: 1 -2, “bear with the scruples of the weak. . . ” v Heb. 13: 16, “Do good and share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” v 1 Tim. 6: 18 v Luke 14: 12 -14 v

Unselfish Developing an unselfish heart v Consider the greatest giver – God! We can never outgive Him! v Strive to think about others! v Realize the true value of stuff!

Unselfish Developing an unselfish heart v Start giving and sharing! v Is there a sense in which we do think about ourselves? Phil. 2: 12, Rom. 12: 3 – we are to save ourselves, but to do so requires we think of others!

Are you content of heart? Do you think of others?