TRUE CONTENTMENT

What a great day.

Today just happens to be "Thanksgiving Day".

It is cold and rainy.  But by the Grace of God, we 

live in a comfortable house and though we are old

and have lived longer than most people, still able to

get around without a lot of pain and discomfort.

God gave me a good nights sleep last night.  Then

my wonderful wife prepared us a delicious breakfast.

After a great meal like that a good nap is required by

this old man.

When I awoke from a real good nap it was quite and

peaceful.  Very comfortable laying there in the recliner.

Now it just does not get any better than that for an old

man who is tired of all the drama of life.

Reaching over for my Bible I turned to the book of 

Philippians on purpose.  You see, the book of 

Philippians is one of the most inspiring and encouraging

books to read in the Bible.  After reading only a few verses

the Apostle Paul said, "... in my imprisonment..."  WOW!

It was real easy for me to lay there and feel content with

life.  But Paul was in prison in chains when he wrote

that extremely encouraging book.

What is the difference between the Apostle Paul and us?

We have to face the fact that most of us live our lives for

ourselves.  Our every thought and action is about getting or

being what we want for ourselves.  I know, we want things

for other people, our children, friends etc.  But it is still

about us and our desires.

But the Apostle Paul's life was totally and completely

given over to Jesus Christ.  In one place Paul tells us

that he "... takes very thought into captivity for Christ."

That is way Paul was able to be content - even when 

in chains in prison.  He was able near the close of his

epistle to the Philippians say;

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned

how to be content with what ever I have.  I know

how to live on almost nothing or with everything.

I have learned the secret of living in every situation,

whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with 

plenty or little.  For I can do everything through

Christ, who gives me strength."  

(Philippians 4:10 - 13 NLT)

RECIPE FOR PEACE AND CONTENTMENT

Many years ago one of the greatest kings of all
time; and a man who was pleasing to God gave
us the path to peace and contentment.
he said,

"Lord, I have given up my pride and 
turned away from my arrogance.

I am not concerned with great matters

or with subjects too difficult for me.

Instead, I am content and at peace.

As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms,

so my heart is quiet within me.

Israel, trust in the Lord now and forever!"

(Psalms 131 GNT)

TRUE SATISFACTION

"There are many who pray:

'Give us more blessings, 

O Lord.

Look on us with kindness!'

But the joy that you have given me

is more than they will every have

with all their grain and wine."

(Psalms 4:6,7 GNT)

Just like us today, 

we want more.

But the real satisfaction is not in

more  "stuff" or blessing.

But in the joy of the Lord.

For true satisfaction we need more

of God and his joy.

The blessing will take care of themselves.

"He is richest who is content with the

least, for content is the wealth of nature."

- Socrates.

FINALLY GETTING SMART

"LORD, I have given up my pride
and turned away from my arrogance.
I am not concerned with great matters
or with subjects too difficult for me.
Instead, I am content and at peace.
As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms
so my heart is quiet within me."
(Psalms 131:1-2 TEV)

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MORE, MORE, GIVE ME MORE

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One day on my way home I stopped by the Clifty general store

for some rabbit or chicken feed.  (Well, feed for some critters or other.)

While there I met a man with his pickup backed up, picking up a load

of feed.

He told me someone had given him three or four horses.  Neat, cool,

great, can't beat that.  (Would you like a deal like that?)  But he found out 

you have to feed them.  He was willing to sell them cheap.  I could have

gotten a horse real cheap that day.

The only thing that kept me from getting a cheap horse that day was;

I did not have time to run home and build a barn.

Nor buy the pasture next door and fence it.

Or knew a veterinarian I could pay to help take care of it.

Or wanted to buy the feed for it too.

"If you love money, you will never be satisfied;

if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want.

It is useless.  The richer you are, the more mouths you

 have to feed.   All you gain is the knowledge that you

 are rich."

(Ecclesiastes 5:10,ll TEV)

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God helped me buy a small patch of woods for a retreat, get away,

or personal space - whatever you want to call it.  Of course I wanted

more.  In fact sometimes I have envied all the land the neighbor had.

As near as I can tell from public records, he has about twenty nine 

times as much land as I do.  And to boot, it looked to me like he

inherited it. 

Would I trade places with him?  He is an invalid and about the 

only time he gets out of the house is to go see the doctor.  However,

he does get the joy of paying taxes on all that land.

In his book,  Victory in the Valleys of Life, 

Charles L. Allen said:

"Someone wrote these words:

For those who seek the answer

in houses, lands and rings,

Will someday find their empty lives

Just as empty filled with things.

One can be successful in accumulating things

and still find nothing in life really worth living for."

p. 16,17

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There was a time in my life when I wanted to have rental properties. 

(I did, once.)

My son-in-law is a man of much greater wealth than my self.

He is not like me, content with hand-me-downs.  He goes for the 

good stuff.

My son-in-law owns rental properties in Florida, Pennsylvania and perhaps

still in upper New York or Maine.

But I have noticed something.  Just the expenses of holding on to

these investments, with out loosing them, would bankrupt me.

"Workers may or may not have enough to eat,

but at least they can get a good night's sleep.

The rich, however, have so much that they 

stay awake worrying."

(Ecclesiastes 5:12 TEV)

Down to my size.

I own more than one motorcycle.

But I can only ride one at a time.

BUT,

I do have the joy of:

Buying license for them.

Paying taxes on them.

Buying tires for them.

Lubing chains on them.

Changing oil and filters on them.

Trying to keep the batteries up on all them.

etc,

etc,

etc.

"Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined

with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world,

so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food 

and clothing, we will be content with these.

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation

and are trapped by many senseless and harmful

desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, 

and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered 

away from the faith and pierced themselves with

 many pains."

(1 Timothy 6:8-10 NRSV)

PATH TO PEACE

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"Lord, 

I have given up my pride

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and turned away 

from my arrogance.

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I am not concerned with 

great matters

or with subjects too

difficult for me.

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Instead,

I am content and at peace.

As a child lies quietly in its

mother's arms,

so my heart is quiet 

within me.

Israel,

trust in the Lord

now and forever!"

-Psalms 131 (GNB)

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