The Pitfall of Discontentment
We are Timothy • Sermon • Submitted
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Discontentment is rampant in our society. We are no longer content, always longing for more. Better technology, a nicer car, nicer clothes, better job, better house, more followers, more playing time, more praise, etc. It is never enough. Always feel like we need to obtain that next level. And based off of what we have or get we base our successfulness, our “contentment.” These things give false hope, allusions of success. This desire for more sets us up for disappointment and a life of wasting our time distracted from Jesus. Don’t let things dictate your life. So tonight we are going to talk about the heart and fruit of discontentment and then we will wrap up talking about walking in contentment.
The Heart and Fruit of Discontentment
The Heart and Fruit of Discontentment
The simple answer is sin (rather it comes through personal choice or through bad teaching). Sin is the heart of discontentment. Discontentment is sin.
What does Exodus 20:17 tell us?
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
To covet is to be discontent with what you have thinking you have to own something that is not yours.
The Logos Bible Sense Lexicon defines covet as:
to covet — verb. to desire, wish, long for, or crave something to a fault or detrimentally, especially the property of another person.
Something we see very important in this definition of covet is that it is a verb. Verb is an action. To covet is not just a state of mind. It effects your mind, but also your actions. It may drive you to be a workaholic, it mat cause you to miss out on the joy of a moment because you mind is too busy acting on the covetousness of your heart.
Like all sin the journey to discontentment is an active journey with plenty of chances to turn around.
Flowchart discussion (sexual sin as an example)
Dwelling eyes
This is the first step to being captured by sin is having dwelling eyes. What i mean by this is your eyes get fixated on something in a non-pure way. You cannot always help the first look. But you can help that prolonged look and that second look. Those looks that lead your mind to start envying or wandering.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
When your eyes are tempted to dwell on tempting or sinful things let your eyes flee from those things. Let your head move like lightning. Flee with your feet if necessary. Flee Like Joseph from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39)
Contemplative Mind
This is when your mind starts thinking deeply on what your eyes dwelling on. You may start to develop plans to get things God has not prioritized in your life. Or if it is with sexual in your mind starts to think dirty thoughts. At this step you have now entered sin, the dwelling eyes open the door to sin (Matthew 5:28). So now not only do you need to flee from sin. You also need to repent, and meditate on Scripture, washing your mind from the sin and guarding your thoughts against wickedness.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Wandering Feet
Your mind follows your eyes. And your body/feet follow the mind with tangible action. At this point I would say is when sin really starts to wreck havoc on your life and others and really where sin really sinks its hook in. Coveting you may start working extra and working Sundays, you may stop tithing. Or your prolonged looks have now led to a porn habit. At this point it gets a little tougher to brake the hold of sin. So now not only do you need to flee, repent, and meditate on Scripture, you need to also seek counsel.
Briefly discuss the sin of porn. Guard yourself against porn. Roughly 90% of guys will be exposed to it by 18 and roughly 60% of women will be exposed by 18.
Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
To successfully stop the wandering feet you are going to need the help of others to switch directions. If you think you can change the direction of your wandering feet without other believers you are setting yourself up for failure
Captured Heart
If you let your feet wander into sin your heart is gonna be captured by sin. That sin is gonna grab a hold of your heart and start squeezing the life out of it. At this point your sin starts to come the focus and driving force behind your actions. It consumes your mind. It becomes all about how you can get what you want or when you can get your next fix. Just like a drug, sin, briefly makes you feel good before making you feel even worse. Steadily you become more numb to it, needing bigger and bigger hits to feel something. Now don’t only do you need to flee, repent, meditate on Scripture, and seek counsel, you need to apply aggressive warfare against the sin
And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
Its gonna take extreme measures to beat your sin now. Fasting may be a battle technique. Developing extreme boundaries in your life to protect yourself from pitfalls. Making life changes.
When sin takes a hold of you it will change your character.
Fruit of walking in sin: conceit,lack of understanding,quarrelsome, jealous,slanderous, and non-trusting.
When you look at these characteristics, are they things that lead to a happy life? Nope, you get very discontent and not a really pleasant person to be around.
Show Fireproof Addictions clip
Finding Contentment in Christ
Finding Contentment in Christ
As we have look at these steps into being captured by sin, it really becomes apparent that this path is a counterfeit. This path when used correctly leads to a heat captured by Jesus. A heart that finds contentment in Christ
contentment- a peaceful satisfaction with what you have.
Faithlife Study Bible says this about contentment:
The Apostle Paul, however, values contentment because it indicates Christ’s sufficiency (see Phil 4:11, 13).
In other words you are at peace where you are at in life because you realize what matters and the key to truly living successful.
Where should our eyes dwell? on Jesus
Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
What happens if you look back while plowing? you get off course and get crooked.
What should our minds contemplate? Word of God
Remember the words of Philippians 4:8-9.
Where should our feet wander? Where the Spirit leads
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Isaiah did not ask where or to do what, but he responded with a willingness to go wherever he would be led. As believers we need to be sensitive to the Spirit and follow God’s leading (Romans 8:14)
Who should capture our hearts? Jesus
All these things lead to and show a heart captured by Jesus.
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
We should be so in love with Jesus that living out our faith and thinking about Jesus is as normal as our heart beating everyday. People should look at us and be like you are obsessed with this Jesus. And our response should be yes I am, He turned my life around, He changed my eternity, and He can do the same for you.
This passage focuses a lot on the material things causing discontentment. When I read verses 6 and 7 I really think about the fact of hey when I leave this world what are all these material things gonna add up to in the end…a pile of dirt.
Pour some dirt out
But you know what is not going to add up to a pile of dirt....the Word of God and you. The choice you make regarding His word will last. Money and things can be a great distraction from what eternally matters. As believers we need to learn to walk in the words of Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.