January 4th 2026

The trust God. So I remember if you don't know, my name is Josh Honeycutt. I used to do professional track and field. And I remember getting up here at one of the training facilities about was that in? I remember the coach I was ready to jump and lift and do all the things I thought, triple jumpers are supposed to do and he had me just to walk and I remember like, all right,

I'm walking home supposed to be lifting. I was hoping I want you to walk and then he he's like that's how you walk. I don't know. I never thought if you have thought about how you walk before, I've never thought anyone, and he's like just shook his head and I was like, man. Like you, you judge me on how I walk and he could diagnose my proclivities and which muscle, I would overuse an underused based on how I was walking. It was kind of a free determining factor of how I could jump or what I was going to use it with my deficiencies are It's so today I want to kind of do the same thing. I believe the word of God is doing the same thing that some of us want to talk about generosity and giving and money. And those are sometimes later on, we need to get to the roof. The walking in with generosity Sprouts, from a man. The smell of contentment returning to our Bibles to Philippians chapter 4.

Vs 10. Do 20.

If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand. And one of our members will get you one will also have it on the screen.

And it says this. I rejoice in the Lord greatly that. Now at length you have revived your concern for me. You are indeed concerned for me but you had no opportunity now that I'm not that I am speaking of being in Need for have learned it, right? They learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound in any and every circumstance I have learned it, right? They learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him. Who strengthens me? Yeah, it was kind of you to share my trouble and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the Gospel. When I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me and giving and receiving except you only Even in thessalonica, you sent me help for my knees once and again, not that. I speak the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment and more. I am well, supplied, having received from aphroditus the gifts, you have sent a fragrant offering a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God and my God Will Supply every need of yours. According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus who are God and Father, the glory forever and ever. Amen. God bless the reading in the hearing of his word. Let us pray.

For the God, I have this request today.

That we would know. What it truly means to be content with you.

That we wouldn't have an idea of how this pertains to other people. But we would really settle in. And see how you are examining our lives. So that God through continue we would live generously. And that are giving our sacrifice our or serving would be a sweet-smelling offering unto you. I pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.

Little context, the Apostle Paul was riding this and if you don't know the Apostle Paul was formerly saw he was a Hebrew and Jew of Jews Pharisee, do the tour in and out as he writes earlier in this chapter that he was aware of the law. Perfect and he had a radical conversion when he countered Jesus Christ and do that encounter God, just cause such a radical change in his life. And in that change he entered in discipleship. Not only to Jesus went to the disciples as well. And then he was sent off to be a missionary. Proclaiming the gospel in the Roman Greco World getting multiple spots and as he was doing this he would make some people angry. Most of all the people that he made angry with his own kind it was a Jewish people. And because of that, they got mad at his life is somewhat of a mirror of Jesus's life. That the Jewish people wanted Jesus to be killed in the Jewish, people wanted Paul to be killed and if you read through ask 24, almost to the end, you see, the resemblance of Paul's Life mirror in Jesus at the Jewish people were plotting to kill him, but yet they were trying to get Roman the Roman authority to kill him on their behalf and the Roman government. Would you like, I don't see any fault and Paul, I don't see any fault with in him, and so he, what he would do, is because he knew they were about to kill him, he would ask the government, he said, hey, can you protect me? Cuz I know they're scheming. I know they're going to try to kill me and so the government didn't know where they were going to put Paul to death or what it is to protect him. So during that time they put him on house arrest. But he had to pay out of his own, his own dollar, could you imagine not doing anything wrong? Being put on house arrest of the bodyguard bodyguard there and you have to pay out of your own pocket and this is after Paul has hit multiple cities and so when you read emphasis best of the naica, galatia, he has hit all these letters. These letters are written why? He's on house arrest. And we get to this letter to church at Phillipi because they have sent a gift. So this is letter is different than all the other Epistles. You hear Paul riding it is a faint letter. It is a letter of friendship. It is a letter saying that I see you living it out and serving me. He is riding this thing. I rejoice in verse 10. I Rejoice the Lord greatly that you have revived your concern. From me. This church. Philip eyes out of port, it is a diverse church. If you go to acts 16, it started in diversity. There is a rich Powerhouse woman who owns multiple houses, that is the first convert in Phillipi. Then you get to a slave girl who was bound and possessed by demons and then you get to also a of a Jailer who work for the Roman government, the start of this church, And they are giving to Paul because they hear he has a need this context. Plays a lot into what Paul is riding cuz he's Rejoice thought about me. I'm thankful that you were concerned about me. I'm thankful that you took and consideration my plight But then he said something interesting. He says in verse 11, not that I am. Speaking of being in Need for, I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. With all the information, I just gave you. You would think Paul has me is right? He has Financial need to have to pay rent. For him to be in that house, he has to feed himself. He can't leave the house. How is he going to work to provide his own Deeds? He, he has real physical needs. He also has political needs, Give needs that the keys either, like be judicial in his behalf. He is relational needs. He needs somebody in the Jewish Community to stand up and say, hey, we should be trying to kill his brother. He had knees all over the place. We would see this be like, no, I'm I'm in desperate need. Send more. Please send more but he says, no, I am not in need. Because he understands what his true needs are. See if you have kids or your kids are going up, you understand this? Cuz your kids make wants needs. Right. They do like right now I'm at my two-year-old thinks iPad is is a need Christmas break Dennis as the service being around grandparents.

my son thinks Cane's chicken strips is a need

Halo things apple juices to need. It is not until a father or mother, or parent has to come in and has to teach them. What I need actually is, that's why Paul is saying I have learned because then come natural, It doesn't come natural to be content.

You have to learn it through life situations and circumstances. You see it in your kids. We need me need. We don't we say it all the time or I need to get home. I need to watch the game. I need to use it. We don't know what these are. Paul has real needs and his real needs. You think those aren't even need The only need that Paul has is being dependent on God. Only knee-deep at is Jesus himself. And he refuses to lose that, focus. And when you lose focus on what you truly mean, when you lose focus on, who got is you begin to cut it? These two sides of the coin on one side. It's it's contentment. In the other side is covetousness.

I have a definition for. Do you know how many screens, okay, we're rolling. Are we got it? We got it. Covetousness is Desiring something so much that you lose your contentment and God.

Desiring. Something so much, you lose containment. It's one of the Ten Commandments the last ten commandment and it's a hard commandment to follow because it's underneath. The service is not out of the command that you can see on the outside. Like, you know, what a Liars, you know, what stealing is, you know, what adultery and fornication is right? Like nobody, like, you know, you're not my wife. Oh, you're not know. You know what you did? It's no surprise.

But, business, it's the desire. It's underneath the surface. It's actually the prerequisite for a lot of the other things that we do. it is hard to examine into, no, Because it's it's a heart thing. So that's one side, the coin. The other side of the coin is contentment and the definition is just the opposite and since it is designed. So much that you lose contentment and things and in circumstances

The opposite of Surety has two sides of the coin. What am I going to be content? And it comes down to desire. And the desire comes from a belief of what you truly think is going to bring your soul satisfaction.

What do you think's going to bring your soul satisfaction? How many of you have seen the Goofy movie from Disney? Got a few hands. Best soundtrack ever. Write for animation, right? Powerline Tevin Campbell did his thing. But there's a scene in the Goofy movie when goofy has entrusted Max with the map. Max doesn't want to go fishing. He wants to go see Powerline, goofy wants to go fishing with his son and they come to this exit and it splits off. And he's like max if he knows Max is altered the map and he wants to go see Power Line. Goofy wants to go fishing up north in Wyoming or Idaho somewhere. Max wants to go to Los Angeles. Where the celebrities are nice? IMAX, which way are we going going away? From what his father wants to do the same thing with contentment. And covetousness are you is there still going to be satisfied with what you want or is it going to be satisfied with what your father wants to go?

The covetousness will be the root of rebellion and in gratitude towards God. It'll be the root of it. All said, all things. Some people like start because you're coveting. Actually, you want to be rich?

Some of you might be dating the wrong person are pursuing the wrong person. That's not Samantha God. Why? Cuz you're covered company. Other people being in a relationship and you want to be in a relationship. It's the roots underneath it. It sounds. Like something, it hit it. First starts with your eyes and cannot be personal cannot. And can I share how God was working on me through this sermon a little bit? We just got back from Dallas. If you have been to Dallas at home with a big, big churches. Right. Like I'll never forget we're driving. And my son said, I'm a man. That's a, that's a little big church. It was the best way to describe the church cuz there was other charges that were bigger but he was saying like no, that's big, but it's not as big as that one. That's a little big church. 1011 12000c churches in as a pastor. What did you do is cause me to look at myself. Like I want that. We can we do we do it right here at endurance? We can't we reach those people. Why can't we have a silly? Why can't we have a baptismal that looks like a mini Waterpark? Why can't we

A bee stings. In a moment, I can start coveting and one other things and not be content in this beautiful church that God has given us right here right now. Same thing goes with my when I when I graduate in the neck train tonight and I have teammates and training partners that are now coaches. And I got my Master's Degree and I see their coaching at Arizona State coaching at Division 1 schools and that's what I was supposed to be doing and I see them going on vacations and traveling all over the world. Let's see them what it seems like being successful. Me knowing I have a master's degree me. Knowing I had success in track and field, I can lose. Contentment in God. And look out, takes about to start looking at indeed.

Now, I just want to see what I could be making. No, I just want to look at how much salaries are out there. Some of us. See some of us do that. We move locations, some of us do that because we're covering with other people have or they got their job, I'm better than them. I should get that job. So let me go apply somewhere else. Can I get real? Some of us want body enhancements. Bbl's.

Katherine plants with men, many of her men. Do some wild stuff too.

Because we're looking and coveting. What other people have? It were not content with what God has for us.

covetousness is the root of rebellion and in gratitude towards God,

But contentment will be the root of pursuit and gratitude towards God. What does that sound like? What does it look like? I have a picture up here.

This guy, his name is Horatio spafford. Anybody know who this is? Great.

We'll walk through it, kind of looks like a cat. Looks like a like a hipster, a blinking, a little bit.

Horatio spafford, you're probably familiar with his work. He was a Christian lawyer in Chicago. In the 19th century is born in the early 1800s, in 1870 and 1870. He decided to buy a bunch of property in Chicago, and he was investing in it. But if anybody knows history what happened in Chicago, during that time, the Great Chicago Fire, everything, burnt to the ground Financial damage that you cannot imagine. Three years later as he is a Christian and supporting ministers, such as d.l. Moody and things. He plans a vacation with his wife and his four. Daughters to go to Wells to hear d.l. Moody preet and they're going to take a vacation business. Gets him caught up. So he stuck in Chicago. He sent his wife in his four daughters to Wales. Is it too late to go to his wife? Send a telegram back and says saved alone. Come to find out. That is ship his family ship 226, people died in the Atlantic Ocean, all four of his daughters died in that ship 12. 75 and 2 years old

Obviously, he gets his ticket on the next ship. It goes to get to his morning wife. He's in the ship. Legend has it. It's about midnight. The captain comes down to wake him up and says hey this is the section in the Atlantic Ocean. For probably your daughters have passed away. Any rights down these lyrics? He put us on the screen. When peace like a river, attendeth my way when Sorrows like Sea's, Billows, roll, whatever. My lot that has taught me to say it is. Well, it Is Well with My Soul. That's what contentment looks and sounds like. Despain. No matter what the circumstance is. No matter if I look at the other families and they have their daughters running around, even though my friends might be able to walk down there. Daughter down the aisle, even though my friends might have investment properties and they're still standing my contentment in my piece is in the most high God.

That's what contentment looks like. But, no matter what, my financial situation is no matter what. My relational status is, no matter if I feel alone, no, matter if I feel weak, no matter if everything is taken from me. Blessed, be the name of the most high God.

This is what Paul was saying, in verse 12 and 13. And I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and in need and you say facing in need, he says facing plenty. Please help me face and plenty. This year, help me to face some abundance. Please. He's saying, no. I know the secret because there's two situations that will expose whether your content in God or not, it's being your need, and it's also having everything that you want. It needs obvious cuz you'll try to work with your hands and try to figure everything out and push God to the outside and say, I don't, I got to figure this out. God, I haven't even you're not meeting it, so I got to do it myself, but the opposite is true too. the opposite is true to his King Saul in the Old Testament, when Samuel instructed to do certain things, and he didn't do it because he had been successful So he didn't have to listen to God because he knew what was best to. That's what happens when we have abundance. We start to figure things out on our own. It's hard to pray to God when you have no material things to pray about. it's hard to see God when everybody is seeking you

It's hard to really press in and and depend on Christ. When it feels like Mom, Dad kids are depending on you and you have everything that you need. What do I need God for? Paul sing. I know the secret to face both.

And that's what Lisa's 2 verse 13. It says I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me and this is why it's taken out of the car text. Because a lot of people do it as like it's a super Jesus is a battery that's going to charge you up to be able to do anything that you want to do.

I seen it when I was lifting the other day and I saw a guy with lupus for 13 and barbells on the back and I was like I hope you ain't trying to put that much weight on cuz I don't know. Just going to save you for that.

I seen a lot in a flea culture. Do a lot of American culture because what, because we take, I can do all things through Christ as an achievement verse. We read it, as I can achieve all things through Christ. Who strengthens me? That's the same. Pause actually saying this Christ, strengthens us to endure, any trial or Temptation that would attempt to diverted away from Devotion to God. I can endure all things, whether it's a trial was the Temptation. Why? Just because I'm successful doesn't mean I'm content with God doesn't mean, God is blessing me because sometimes people are successful and that's part of God's judgment.

What why do you think the devil tempted Jesus with all the riches? Why do you think the devil tempted him for people, submitting under him and he would give him all the kingdoms? I'm not saying that being rich and being wealthy is wrong. What I'm saying is you can't see on the surface. You don't know. So if you think flipping 413 is for you to achieve everything that you want your missing it, because what he is saying, right here, trying to strengthen me to endure. Cuz I might face of Temptation that looks good, and it's not for me. My devotion is the god.

You have the right to ask. What is this? How does it impact our Generosity. Remember the walking? How does how does this impact lead to this? Because if you're not content with God, you will have a cap on your generosity. Take a salary. Cap more likely. It's a circumstance cap. That you will be as generous as your circumstances allows you to be whatever your true desire is, and you will have no regard for the souls, the missions and the building up of the body, because these things are getting in the way career vacation and Circumstance.

If I'm honest. What really holds us back here in America is the middle class upper middle class, American Dream. It destroys gospel generosity. Why? Because there's always more. Used to be a 1500 square foot. Now it's 2000s. 2500. East be having just one car. Now, you have two cars. In every circumstances like okay, I have to ride the bus, I had to get a car with somebody wish. I could afford to ride the bus. Show me that's one car. Like we wish they had a car because they're just riding the bus. If you have two cars, somebody has one card, it's always something more. And whatever that deep desire is in your mind and your heart will be the cab of your generosity. So you won't give if it interferes with certain things that you truly want to do. You won't feel neglected gospel needs and people will be affected by the gospel. I want to get some practical examples like which would you be willing just to cancel a streaming Network and Netflix. A peacock up, a Paramount, an apple would you cancel for a month to take one of the teenagers or kids out for lunch and invest in them? The purchase them, a study Bible. Somebody that just got baptized, would you purchase them and study Bible? For a gift. Could you do that? What about not putting your kids in Youth Sports for season, a time to invest in them and take that time and those resources to invest in them and disciple them. What you do with oars you Sports becoming such an idol in your life that you have to do the next season. All this is speaking to me, too. Could you even think about taking something out of your savings and 401k to pay a missionary salary for a year?

And if all these things are jarring to you, is because we have pushed the gospel out to the side so much, that we think it's somebody else that needs to supply the needs of the Saints.

You see how contentment and generosity flow hand-in-hand? Do we understand? Or we really content with God? Would it really be that radical? We were to downsize.

It supplied, somebody else's need for the sake of the Gospel. Or is it just all about us? Do you have a cap? Do you have an area that God can't touch. That's why we read the Rich Young Ruler. Like we always say God is not calling us to give away all of her money. Why? Because we're afraid that he might actually call us to do it. And we try to otherwise it to somebody else. And I'm not saying God called you to give everything that you have but I'm saying can't God ask the question. God, ask the question of you. Or something locked away. So tight that God can't touch it.

You would think the Philippian church is Wealthy, by the way that they're giving these gifts to Paul the way that he's rejoicing. But they're not, let's look at what Paul says about them to the Christian Church, who was the wealthy church, but he's bragging about the Flippy and church to the Christians. Let's go to 2nd Corinthians. 8125, are you still with me?

2nd Corinthians 8:1 through 5.

He's trying to get the Corinthian Church to give and he gives the example of this flipping Church there in Macedonia. He says, if we want you to know Brothers about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia for in a severe test of Affliction, their Abundance of Joy and their extreme poverty.

Extreme poverty. Poverty, extreme poverty. Have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they have gave according to their means, as I can testify and beyond their means of their own accord begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saint. And this is not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, if I sent to the Lord. And then by the will of God to us. I didn't do it because it had a lot of money.

Because we can all look at other people that are doing better than us and say they should be giving more. And we love that in my we love to tell rich people what they should do with their money. You're a billionaire, they shouldn't have this and that we love to do that. But yet, do we examine ourselves? if you see how we can, Give ourselves first to the Lord. And two other people. Come back to. Philippians 4.

First 14. It says this. Yeah, it was kind of you to share my trouble and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the Gospel. When I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me and giving and receiving except you only Even if that's cool and I could you sent help for my needs once. And again, not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received your payment and more that will supply every receipt from aphroditus that gives you a cent a fragrant offering a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God Will Supply every need of yours. According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus to our God the Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

I really want you to take him to the last part. Their generosity wasn't just a transaction. It says, Paul says that they shared is trouble. That he, they partnered with him, they didn't see Paul at somebody, imma give it to you. So you will eventually come back and maybe you'll preach A good sermon make us with no no, no, no, no. They saw them Paul seen them in the Church of Hope. I seen Paul as partners he said, giving and receiving There was something that was happening from both ways and he said it was happening from the beginning of the Gospel. What do you mean? The first time I started preaching the gospel in Macedonia. The first time I laid my feet on the ground in your territory, you have partnered with me. Go back to acts 16 and you see it when he ministered to Lydia, what does Lydia say? If it if it's good with you come stay at my house. What happened to the jail at the Jailer said, hey, I'm a lay off some food, I will be baptized. You can stay at my house from the beginning. They were partnering and giving to Paul. And they did it again. And that's what I felt when he was there and they're doing it again, when he is on house arrest, this is something that is in their nature. Are radically changed by the gospel, they're radically content with God and through that. Do their contentment. It is giving the ones in the saints that are need for Paul said something very interesting in verse 18. He says the only how about I am? Well supplied have a receipt for every day is a gift, you sent a fragrant offering a sacrifice yourself to and pleasing to God. You didn't send him candles from whatever place you like the Yankee, whatever that place is gone. Will know my wife goes and I don't He didn't send the money, they didn't send them one 800 Flowers. She got to ask it, what does it mean of fragrant offering? if you read in the Old Testament, you would know that Fraser offerings were also a sacrifice unto God on behalf of the people. This was a Priestly Duty. A Priestly Duty. Now, watch this. The priest would do this on behalf of the people to God? There a mediator between God and the people, right? And so what they would do is make incense and they would sacrifice things and that would be a fragrant if it was from the right posture and with the right heart, God would accept it as an acceptable fragrance and acceptable sacrifice unto him. Now, watch how this pertains to us. I want us to read this verse in 1st, Peter 2:9. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a birthday priesthood, a holy nation of people for his own possession. That you may proclaim the excellencies of him, who has called you out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light. You are a priesthood giving is not just an individual trap Transaction. What you are actually doing is covering for other people unto God. So every time that you give generously, not just the church but until the biblical calling when there's two missionaries when they're supplying, an either-or brother sister in Christ. When you are biblically being generous, what you were walking out your priesthood.

You're walking out your priesthood. It is for other people unto God. It's A Wig. I pray that in this year, I pray this next year that it would be such a sweet-smelling favorite to God that you would make God's nostrils flare up. But you would make God do a double with

You would make God double back cuz he would say, hey, that frequent smells familiar. You know what that frequent smells like, it smells like lamp. The precious lamb of God, who was our for offering for us. If you read, Ephesians 5:2, it says that Christ, is our fragrant offering its away, Christ was crucified. That was a perfect sacrifice and that smell was pleasing unto the father. That is reason why you have access to the throne room of God. When you pray because he gave himself up to you, Jesus didn't have a cap on his circumstances of how much he gave you, he gave himself.

He gave of himself. He even left his full list of his glory behind for you. Who are we to learn to not give everything of ourselves? A vacation. What are thought of retirement to let you sports coat to let a vacation with the friends? Get in the way for us, giving everything that God wants some of us? He was the perfect fragrant offering because he was our most high priest. It's a when you give at the same smell of contentment that Jesus had on the cross. I want you to really think about that when you give, It is not just a sacrifice. You're walking in your priesthood. That is imitating. Our perfect. Wonderful Savior. Jesus, the smell of contentment is sweet. Have to be painful, of course. We want to do it all the time, you know, Jesus didn't want to go to the cross. But yet for the glory that was set before him, he endured it all. We're called him during it's for a reason. I pray that this year, we walk in that a man, let us pray.

Father, God, I just prayed today.