In Matthew 22:16-22 we see that money was not an issue with Christ.  Money had its purposes, but the Lord was not wooed by it in anyway.  If only we could say that as believers – if only we could be content like Christ.

One of the major battles that Christians often face is the battle of contentment.  On every billboard, every radio and television commercial are allurements to get you to be discontented.  As you walk into the grocery stores; go through the mall; or surf the internet – you will see things that are tempting you to become discontented.

You often here statements like “Do something for yourself” or “Pamper yourself a little while.”  There are slogans like, “you deserve the best” or “your family deserves the finest.”  All these things lend to our discontentedness.

I don’t know how you grew up, but if you are like me, I remember when I was a young boy we were living in an 8 x 30 foot travel trailer that did not travel anywhere located in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.  It was a 50’s model and it was home for several years for the 6 in our family.  Mom and dad slept in the living room, my sister in the laundry room/bathroom, and my two older brothers and I had a bunk bed on the far end, well, I slept on some shelf that was overhanging the propane tanks on the front of the travel trailer.  I don’t know if mom and dad were content, but I was.  I was happy, I remember the 13” black & white TV and that was awesome, and there were about 3 channels, one was PBS, and all were fuzzy.   We had to use the pliers to turn the channel.  But I was content.

But something kept happening to me, as I grew I kept becoming more discontent as I saw what other people had. Additionally, even when I got what I wanted at times or had worked hard for, I found that I would shortly become discontented again.

Contented means to appease the desires of; to limit (oneself) in requirements, desires, or actions; in a word it means to be satisfied.  As believers, we need to learn to be content.  God’s Word says in Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”  If we want to learn to be content, the Lord Jesus Christ is our best model.

• He lived 2,000 years ago without any modern comforts.
• He was born in a manger – a stall for animals.
• He was raised in relative poverty.
• He was a day laborer for most of his adult life.
• He often had to pluck fruit of trees or crops out of the fields for food in his ministry.
• Most of all, he left His glory and throne in heaven and came to be a man on earth.

Yet he was content.  For you and I to know contentment, we must know the Lord of contentedness, Jesus Christ.  No amount money, things, fame, or even friends will bring contentment like a real relationship with Jesus Christ will bring.  Do you know Him?  If so, have you been looking to Him and working on growing closer to Him and seeking to become more like Him?   It is a must for us to know contentment.

On Friday, December 16^th, 2012, in Connecticut, 20 children and 6 adults were killed by a lone gunmen.  There are going to be many reports and many jumping on the bandwagon to make their attacks on guns, or on school security or on law enforcement or possibly even video games.

While all of these things play a part in the problem – there will never be a solution for it as long as sin runs rampant.

As long as children do not have to honor and respect parents;

As long as parents cannot discipline;

As long as teachers cannot discipline;

As long as correction can only be positive;

As long as people make excuses;

As long as the latest disability can be blamed;

As long as personal accountability is not demanded;

As long as God is kicked out of the schools, government, and even (if the world had their way) out of society totally.

When you try to explain why the murderer did it; or why God allowed it; no worldly wisdom can cover it; but I can read over to you the passage from the Bible where Christ addresses such tragedies:

Luke 13:1-5 ¹ There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

God’s will in the face of any tragedy is to repent and draw to Him.  Trust Him as your Saviour if you are not saved – and trust Him more if you are saved.

Friends, we need to be vigilant and faithful to our God; fervent for righteousness; look to help rather than ignore.  And know that God has a purpose in all of this.  Everyone of us at these terrible times need to repent and turn to God.

“I GO TO CHURCH”

It seems as I talk to many people, many say, “I go to church.” In reality most do not.  The definition of what a church is has been askew in the last few generations especially.  Here are a few misnomers about what church is:

• Some believe church is where two or three people are gathered together in the name of theLord. While the Bible says the Lord is in our midst he does not say that it means we had a church service.
• Others “FEEL” that church can be had at home, in the woods or wherever one feels comfortable. While it is true we can worship God anywhere and at any time; such worship does not constitute a church.
• Yet some think that a Bible study, chapel service, or watching an evangelistic television program means they went to church. While we are thankful for when the Gospel is preached, these do not fit the definition of a church either.

Church is not defined by what we believe, what we feel or what we think. Church is defined by the Bible. It is the Bible that teaches us what church is. Here are a few things to remind us:

1. A Church has as its Head and Founder – Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior – Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20

2. A Church has as its sole authority the Word of God, the Bible – Romans 15:4; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

3. A Church is a called out group who have been assembled together to fulfill the Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

4. A Church has as its members saved and baptized believers; Ephesians 2:8-9; Act 2:41; Acts 10:44-48; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Matthew 28:18-20

5. A Church has pastors and deacons as its officers; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-16

6. A Church has a pastor appointed by the Holy Ghost that leads and feeds the flock from the Word of God – Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 4:6, 12-16; 1 Peter 5:2

7. A Church submits to God’s appointed leadership within the church – Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Timothy 5:17; Philippians 2:29;; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

8. A Church has people that study God’s Word for themselves – Acts 17:10-12; 2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8

9. A Church has been started or sponsored by another church or a group of churches – Acts 13:2; Acts 16:5

10. A Church is the “pillar and the ground of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 3:15

Now this is not an exhaustive list of what the Bible says a church is; but it does remind us that it is a vital part of our Christian lives. This should always necessitate our finding, joining, and serving with a local Bible believing church. It would behoove us to be a part of one, as it is the established institution on earth that Christ founded, sustains, works through and died for – Ephesians 5:25-27. On a personal note, since the age of 18, I have always been a member of a local church where I have lived. When I moved, I always knew where my family and I would be joining. We always stayed at that church until God moved us to a new state or country. Was every church perfect?  By no means!  Did I always wholeheartedly agree with everything taught?  Not always.  Did I agree with every decision the leadership made? Not by a long shot!   But I have always tried to faithfully serve, help and bless that local church and pastor, whether I saw eye to eye with them on everything.  Why?  Because I love the Lord and I love His church and any sacrifice I make is minuscule compared to His great sacrifice He has given when He died on the cross of Calvary.  There has not been a church that I have not been able to grow in because if I am doing what I am supposed to do God will always bless.

– Pastor Mark A. Sage

Isaiah 53:6 says “All we like sheep have gone astray;…” There is a danger for every sheep that is in the fold of God to go astray. When we go astray it means we are outside the bounds of habitation that the Good Shepherd intended for us. It means to go in a way that is not according to His will.

Shepherds would lead their sheep to good pastures where they could be fed and be safe from danger. We too need to makes sure we stay in good pastures – God’s pasture. Here are two key points about staying in God’s pasture.

PUT UP SOME FENCES IN YOUR LIFE

People don’t like fences or boundaries in their lives; yet the Bible has a clear set of guidelines that we are to live by. We need to set up fences that are based on Biblical principles. God gives us the guidelines, but we set up the fences for ourselves. It is dangerous when we do not set up fences because we often will without thought cross out of the pasture of God’s will and blessing.

Fences are important for three reasons:

• Fences are for our protection – they keep the evil out.
• Fences set up the bounds of habitation – they tell us where we can safely roam.
• Fences identify us – they tell who we belong to.

For instance, the Bible says that drunkenness is a sin (Proverbs 23:30-35). Therefore I will set up some guidelines that will protect me from this sin of drunkenness. Some examples of fences would be: I will not drink alcoholic beverages; I won’t have them in my house; I won’t go to bars or night clubs (there are many principles as to why these are wrong). I won’t hang out with people who are going to do such things; if must go to a military function where it is served, I certainly won’t bring my family and will leave at the earliest opportunity. Why, because I don’t want to get out of the will of God. I may have a moment of weakness, but if I am on the right side of the fence I will not be near the sin and therefore not partake of it. Many Christians have fallen into sin because they were near sin at a moment of weakness. Self-imposed fences will help keep us from sinning against our Lord, not to mention will identify us with him.

But we also need to:

STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD

Even when people set up fences in their lives they still need to learn that danger lurks near to the fence. The best place to stay is in the center of the pasture, near the Shepherd. When we stay by the Shepherd we are:

• Staying close to His Word – the Bible
• Staying close to His Bride – the local church
• Staying close to His Heart – witnessing to the lost and serving others.

When we lurk near the fence (which is away from the Bible, Church, and God’s service) we are longing for things that are outside of His will and where danger is found. Don’t go there; stay close to the Shepherd. A good indicator as to how I am doing as a Christian is to test whether I am lurking near the fence or am I am staying close to the Savior.

What is this life to you Christian?  I guess it depends on how you look at it.  How we perceive our lives lends to how we live our lives.  Do you look at your life as a battleground or a playground?  Do you think about the next movie you will watch, the next meal you will eat out the next vacation you get to go on, etc?  Are you leisurely going through life making yourself at home in it or do you think about how you might draw closer to the Lord and look to fulfill His calling for your life?  Right now, what is on your agenda today, this week and this month?  What is it that fills your thoughts and plans?

May I remind you that this world is not our home.  For the Christian it was never meant to be a leisure walk or a playground.  Rather, God tells us in 2 Timothy 2:4 that “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”  The Lord also tell us in Ephesians 6:11-18 that we are to put on all the armor of God. Consider what Ephesians 6:13 teaches us, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  I know that this is not a popular message in our generation where we want to have fun and relax, or even bask in the joy of the Lord free from any problems.  The truth is for a Christian following God, this life is often a battle.  Living for God breeds problems in a dark world and in an evil generation.  C.H. Spurgeon said over 100 years ago that “No man can be a Christian these days without being a controversialist.”  If that was true in Spurgeon’s day, it is only more true today. If you never have problems, confrontations, troubles to some degree, it is likely that you are not battling for the Lord.  A person who reaches out to the lost is constantly fighting battles, but it is worth it to him “…that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

I remember back in my college days how that one instructor asked for a raise of hands of those that excelled under pressure. Many hands went up.  Then he asked how many in the class excelled under freedom, I raised my hand along with a few others. Then the instructor said, “You who just raised your hands are lazy,” (I think the wise students didn’t raise their hands for either).  I have always disagreed with such a statement. While it is true that some people will excel and produce greater results because of the constant pressure of another; the Bible model that Christ and the Apostles set forth was one of freedom in Christ.  Galatians 5:1 says: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”  It was the law that hindered; it was the law that was a cruel task master; it was the letter of the law that destroys creativity and excitement in service. But it is the freedom we have in Christ that allows us to trust Him, take His Word by faith, and do great things for Him because he allows us to; not because of demands. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”  We are to be led of the Spirit of God along with the Word of God; He enables us to serve God in a far greater way than we ever could by keeping a list of rules.  No doubt, there are things God expects of us, but by our own effort we could never keep them all – we need the Spirits help.  Romans 8:6 tells us: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”