05/24/2016
May 24, 2016
From: The JESUS Coalition & Team EVERWHAT
To: The Disciples of Christ, Worldwide
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Be CONTENT, in Christ, not complacent!
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REGARDING CONTENTMENT, always remember this:
JESUS Loves YOU!!!
Unconditionally!!!
Passionately!!!
Infinitely!!!
And, Completely!!!
For, GOD IS LOVE!!!
Love is God’s very nature!!!
And, He has made YOU the object of His Divine LOVE (JESUS)!!!
So, YOU are now God’s Child!!!
You have been adopted into His Holy Family!!!
You too are now His BELOVED, in Christ…
In whom He is always WELL PLEASED, in Christ!!!
There is nothing your Heavenly Father will not do to Love YOU!!!
And, everything you need, He has already provided for YOU!!!
You have gained ALL of this, in Christ Jesus!!!
This is your GREAT SALVATION!!!
And, it is a FINISHED work!!!
Of this, YOU can be assured!!!
And, in this, you can be absolutely CONTENT!!!
So, say “THANK YOU, JESUS!!! Hallelujah and Amen!!!”
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Regarding COMPLACENCY, consider this:
If you take a good hard, discerning look around, you will undoubtedly see a pervasive evil spreading rampantly throughout the nations of the world today. That, Dear Ones, is happening while most Christian men and women sit idly by, doing little if anything to honor and glorify our Lord and Savior by actively upholding the banner of Truth before others, which is JESUS CHRIST, Himself.
As the Church, we all know that JESUS Loves us (see above). We also know that Scripture says this world will come to an end one day soon. Obviously, we are aware from end-times prophecy that the days will continue to grow more and more evil during this age. However, there is nothing in Scripture which suggests we should be complacent and just sit back and let all these things happen unchecked. Quite the contrary!
Truly, we are all supposed to learn to be “content,” IN CHRIST. Yet, being passive as a Christian is NOT at all what being spiritually content means. Rather, to be passive is to be “complacent.” And, we most certainly are NOT called to be complacent!
As we studied last week, we as Jesus’ Disciples need to have and exercise Jesus’ ZEAL! (https://www.facebook.com/JesusCoalition/posts/1608182692800917:0) Godly Zeal can never tolerate or ever result in complacency. Such Zeal is ultimately about the attitude we have and demonstrate before others, IN CHRIST! Just as it is with Praying, or with Giving and Receiving, to use a couple of Biblical examples, our attitude often makes all the difference between what we do that is right and what we do that is wrong. So, let us choose now to dare to LIVE and DO even more today, with Godly ZEAL, and change the world around us for the better, IN CHRIST, for our Heavenly Father!
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CONSIDER THESE DEFINITIONS:
Spiritual Contentment = Deep, personal satisfaction that God’s Provision (JESUS) and Grace (JESUS) is more than sufficient; not perceiving any lack or the need for more; having God-given Peace (JESUS) even enduring adverse physical circumstances – all of which results from your Trust and Faith in God.
Spiritual Complacency = Shallow, personal satisfaction with how the things of the world are; showing uncritical satisfaction with oneself, one’s physical circumstances and/or one’s relationship with God, and not even wanting to try to change or improve them – which is the result of (fleshly) uncaring, spiritual laziness.
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Do you want to really LIVE? Do you want to experience an amazing Life filled with CONTENTMENT, and not complacency? If your answer is a resounding "YES," then PRAISE GOD!!! Truly, that is a great need throughout the Body of Christ, today!!! For sure, we do NOT want to stand before our Heavenly Father one day soon, only to hear Him say that we were merely “lukewarm…”
So, how do you get started? Just like an athlete would…you have to practice, practice, practice!!! We must all learn to maintain a proper balance as we walk through this Life. And, you can only learn to do that with practice! So, from this point forward, choose to purposefully walk IN LOVE each day, IN CHRIST, being led by the Spirit and not by the flesh, and you will soon find JESUS teaching you to be ever more CONTENT, and how not to become passive, or to ever become overly consumed with the things of this world. Instead, you will find your focus and attention naturally stayed on all those things that can and will make a difference for the rest of Eternity, like:
Loving other People!!!
Sharing God’s Word!!!
Being Kind and Generous to those in need!!!
And, Making Disciples!!!
All of which results in YOU becoming more and more like JESUS!!!
PLEASE BE ENCOURAGED IN THIS, DEAR CHURCH FAMILY, AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE INDEED LOVED!!!
NOW, LET US ALL STAND UP TOGETHER FOR JESUS, AND GO MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT, IN CHRIST!!!
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1 Timothy 6:6-7 [AMP; Emphasis added.]
But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by CONTENTMENT [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence BASED ON THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD]. For we have brought nothing into the world, so [it is clear that] we cannot take anything out of it, either.
Matthew 6:31-33 [KJV; Emphasis added.]
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added unto you.
Philippians 4:11-13 [NLT; Emphasis added.]
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever 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.
Isaiah 26:3 [KJV; Emphasis added.]
Thou wilt keep him in perfect PEACE, whose mind is STAYED on thee: because he TRUSTETH in thee.
Revelation 3:14-16 [NASB; Emphasis added.]
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are LUKEWARM, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
Amos 6:1-6 [NLT; Emphasis added.]
What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem, and you who feel secure in Samaria! You are famous and popular in Israel, and people go to you for help. But go over to Calneh and see what happened there. Then go to the great city of Hamath and down to the Philistine city of Gath. You are no better than they were, and look at how they were destroyed. You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer. How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds and lounge on your couches, eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock and of choice calves fattened in the stall. You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. YOU CARE NOTHING ABOUT THE RUIN OF YOUR NATION.
Luke 14:26-27 [NLT; Emphasis added.]
“IF YOU WANT TO BE MY DISCIPLE, you MUST, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
Proverbs 1:32-33 [ESV; Emphasis added.]
For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the COMPLACENCY of fools destroys them; but WHOEVER LISTENS TO ME WILL DWELL SECURE AND WILL BE AT EASE, without dread of disaster.”
Hebrews 2:1-3 [NLT; Emphasis added.]
So WE MUST LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO THE TRUTH we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this GREAT SALVATION that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?
Revelation 2:1-5 [PHILLIPS; Emphasis added.]
Write this to the angel of the Church in Ephesus: ‘These words are spoken by the one who holds the seven stars safe in his right hand, and who walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and what you have endured. I know that you will not tolerate wicked men, that you have put to the test self-styled ‘apostles’, who are nothing of the sort, and have found them to be liars. I know your powers of endurance—how you have suffered for the sake of my name and have not grown weary. But I HOLD THIS AGAINST YOU, THAT YOU DO NOT LOVE AS YOU DID AT FIRST. REMEMBER THEN HOW FAR YOU HAVE FALLEN. REPENT AND LIVE AS YOU LIVED AT FIRST. Otherwise, if your heart remains unchanged, I shall come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Matthew 6:19-21 [NKJV; Emphasis added.]
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures ON EARTH, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures IN HEAVEN, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.