LEARN HOW
TO BE CONTENT
(PHILIPPIANS 4:6-12) Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever
things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of
good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on
these things.
Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned,
and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with
you.
Php 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that
now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also
careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I
have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know
how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full
and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Introduction:
One of the most important things that we can do in life is learning to
be contented.
Learning to be content is important because of the personal and public
benefit of being contented.
Learning to be content benefit both our personal life and public life
because of our influence or being witness.
Those people who do not live a contented life who always complaining,
who always thinking and saying negatively will make themselves and affect other
people to become miserable.
A discontented is a bad witness for Christ, ruin the testimony of a
Christian, and that is one main concern.
I.
SIGNIFICANCE OF A CONTENTED PERSON –
v.11
Philippians 4:11 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I
have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."
Filipos 4:11 "Hindi sa nagsasalita ako dala ng
pangangailangan, sapagkat aking natutunan ang masiyahan sa anumang kalagayang
aking kinaroroonan." TAGALOG VERSION
When we say significance, we speak of the value of contentment.
Webster defines contentment = happy enough with what one has or is; not
desiring something more or different; satisfied.
The world is highly interested for satisfaction, happy enough with what
they have, not desiring for something more. So, if you could put a tag price on
contentment and sell it, a person would end up being the richest person in the
world. In other words, you are one of the richest persons on earth if you are a
contented person today.
Contentment is a like a commodity that is very rare, but you can be a
contented person.
However, being contented person does not come naturally. We are not born
being a contented person. Being contented requires learning. We have to learn
how to be contented.
Notice what Paul said in verse 11 “for I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content.” Like Paul had learned, we also have to
learn how to be content as well. We will notice the secret Paul learned.
II. STATE OF
A CONTENTED PERSON – v.11, 12
Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have
learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Filipos 4:11 “Hindi sa nagsasalita ako dala ng pangangailangan,
sapagkat aking natutunan ang masiyahan sa anumang kalagayang aking
kinaroroonan.” TAGALOG VERSION
Notice the words of Paul, “whatsoever state I am”
What state was Paul in?
Different state that Paul was in:
A. State of Plenty - v.12b
Philippians 4:12b “and I know how to abound: every where and in all
things I am instructed both to be full”
Filipos 4:12b "at marunong din akong magpakasagana; sa bawat
bagay at sa lahat ng bagay ay natutunan ko ang lihim sa kabusugan." TAGALOG VERSION
Paul was saying that he knew how to be content when he had plenty.
Having contentment when he had plenty is what most people have problem with.
A lot of people go from a humble spirit to a haughty spirit. They had
changed their attitude and principle in life. They forgot where they come from,
who they are before they got plenty of something.
B. State of Poverty - v.12a
Philippians 4:12a “I know both how to be abased….and to be hungry”
Filipos 4:12a “Marunong akong magpakababa….at maging sa kagutuman”
FILIPINO VERSION
In verse 12a, Paul said “I know how to be abased”. Paul talks about
being abased.
The word “abased” means to live humbly in stricken (may mabigat,
nakakabahala, nakakabalisa) circumstances.
Philippians 4:12c “and to suffer need.”
Filipos 4:12c “at maging sa kasalatan.” FILIPINO VERSION
Paul continues as he says the last phrase in verse 12c “and to suffer
need.”
C. State of Problems - v.12b
Philippians 4:12b “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to
abound: every where and in all things”
Filipos 4:12b “at marunong din akong magpakasagana; sa bawat bagay
at sa lahat ng bagay ay natutunan ko ang lihim sa kabusugan.” FILIPINO VERSION
Notice the word “everywhere”. Paul learned to be content everywhere.
When Paul said “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound:
everywhere” where was Paul?
Paul wrote this book of Philippians when he was in prison. Paul learned
contentment even in jail.
D. State of Pain – II Corinthians 12:7
II Corinthians 12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through
the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,”
II Corinthians 12:7 “lalo na dahil sa kalabisan ng mga pahayag. Kaya't
upang ako'y huwag magyabang ng labis, binigyan ako ng isang tinik sa laman,
isang sugo ni Satanas upang ako'y saktan, upang ako'y huwag magmalaki ng
labis.” FILIPINO VERSION
The phrase “thorn in the flesh” speaks of Paul having a physical problem
that was so painful.
This verse shows us that Paul learned how to be content in the midst of
his physical suffering
III – SIGN OF
A CONTENTED PERSON – v.6
Philippians 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God."
Filipos 4:6 "Huwag kayong mabalisa sa anumang bagay; kundi
sa lahat ng mga bagay, sa pamamagitan ng panalangin at pagsamo na may
pagpapasalamat ay ipaalam ninyo ang inyong mga kahilingan sa Diyos."
FILIPINO VERSION
Instead of being anxious for everything, we must thankful in everything.
There is always a sign of contentment in people who are truly contented.
When we say sign, we speaks of the gratitude of thanksgiving being
manifested in a person who was contented.
I Thessalonians 5:18 “ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
In order for you to know if you are contented, you can try to listen to
the words that come out of your mouth. If the words that come out of your mouth
is negative, it is a sign that you are not grateful person. And if the words
that come out of your mouth are positive words, it is a good sign that you are
a grateful person.
People who are not contented are ungrateful and complaining.
IV– SECRET OF
A CONTENTED PERSON – v.6,8
A. Secret of Contentment in Prayer – v.6
1. Turning to the Lord
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God.”
Filipos 4:6 “Huwag kayong mabalisa sa anumang bagay; kundi sa
lahat ng mga bagay, sa pamamagitan ng panalangin at pagsamo na may
pagpapasalamat ay ipaalam ninyo ang inyong mga kahilingan sa Diyos.” FILIPINO
VERSION
Notice the phrase “Be careful (worry or anxious) for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication.
The word “careful” means anxious (NASB, ESV). In greek “μεριμνᾶτε (merimnate), to be anxious or to
be distracted.
Whatever it is that would cause us to worry or lead us to anxiety, would
cause us not to be content, we need to learn to turn that over to the Lord in
prayer.
Turning everything over to the Lord that means that you must release it
unto God’s care.
I Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.”
Turning over to the Lord, instead of being anxious is one secret of
contentment.
2. Trusting the Lord
Not only Paul’s secret of contentment is found in turning over to the
Lord in his prayer but also another Paul’s secret of contentment is found in
trusting the Lord in his prayer.
We will never turn our problem over to the Lord, if we do not trust God
to take care of our problems.
Two things
that Paul was trusting God:
1. Trusting in God’s providential hand
– v.11
Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have
learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Filipos 4:11 “Hindi sa nagsasalita ako dala ng pangangailangan,
sapagkat aking natutunan ang masiyahan sa anumang kalagayang aking
kinaroroonan.” FILIPINO VERSION
Notice again in verse 11, Paul said “I have learned in whatsoever state
I am, there with to be content.”
Paul believed that God was in charge of the arrangements in life for the
children of God, so Paul learned to accept every circumstance in his life.
The places in life, the poverty in life, the plenty in life, and the
problems in life are all arranged by God.
Believers in Christ believes that there are no accidents in a
Christian’s life. God knows everything, God is in control and God arrange
everything for our good, so there is no accidents for the children of God.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
2. Trusting in God’s powerful hand
We can only trust God, if we know that God is able to take care of your
situation or of anything.
Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Ephesians 3:20 “He is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask
or think.”
B. The Secret
of Contentment in Perception – v.8
Another Paul’s secret of contentment was in what Paul thought
about.
Philippians 4:6- 7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Filipos 4:6-7 “Huwag kayong mabalisa sa anumang bagay; kundi sa
lahat ng mga bagay, sa pamamagitan ng panalangin at pagsamo na may
pagpapasalamat ay ipaalam ninyo ang inyong mga kahilingan sa Diyos. 7 At ang
kapayapaan ng Diyos, na hindi maabot ng pag-iisip, ang mag-iingat ng inyong mga
puso at mga pag-iisip kay Cristo Jesus.” FILIPINO VERSION
Not only through prayers to God give us peace of God which guarded our
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus even though our problems did not changed
in verses 6-7, but also we ourselves must guard our thoughts in verse 8, that
is our perceptions.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Filipos 4:8 “Kahuli-hulihan, mga kapatid, anumang bagay na
totoo, anumang bagay na kagalang-galang, anumang bagay na matuwid, anumang
bagay na malinis, anumang bagay na kaibig-ibig, anumang bagay na kapuri-puri,
kung mayroong anumang kagalingan, at kung may anumang nararapat papurihan, ay
isipin ninyo ang mga bagay na ito.”
Paul guarded what he thought about. Satan wants to attack the mind and
heart of a Christian to discouraged them. Paul did not allow Satan attack his
mind and get him to think about the bad things, complaining, and think
negatively in life.
We must discipline our thought life, if we want to have contentment in
our life, even though it is a difficult task because of all the bad and
negative things in life.
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