Shift

Secret

Reactions to hardship

Reactions to success

What's the secretOf navigating life

Without getting angryOr bitter or falling apart?

In Jesus,

You have all that you needTo face all that will happenAs you go through all of life

BetrayedLeft without

Forgotten

Facing deathIn constant painMaligned by "Fellow Believers" (Persecutor becomes preacher…)

Paul is under house-arrestOn trumped-up chargesThat will cost him his life

Paying for food and rentThrough help and donations

Almost everyone leavesCrescens, Demas and Titus

Only Luke is with me…- 2 Tim. 4

And then the churchBetrays him, deserts himRefuses to stand with him

At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all

deserted me- 2 Tim. 4:16

Writing to Philippians, who hadStopped supporting him

But now have sent a gift

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me

You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no

opportunity

Not that I am speaking of being in need…

PrisonHouse ArrestJews Plotting his DeathHungry and No Food

Pain from Beatings/StoningsFacing Death PenaltyShunned by Fellow BelieversMaligned

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content

"I'll be fine as soon as…"

"I don't know how much moreof this I can take"

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content

Now. As it is…

Content: autarkes

Self-contained, without need from outside, independent of

external circumstances and the opinions of others

The word “content” actually means “contained.” It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without- Wiersbe

In Jesus,

You have all that you needTo face all that will happenAs you go through all of life

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 have learned the secret...[of being] content:

I can do all things through him who strengthens me- Philippians 4

The secret of contentment is NOT Changing your circumstances

But facing your circumstancesWith faith

When they don't change

I can do all things through him who strengthens me

- Not a sports motto- Not a promise of prosperity- Not a relational claim

I can survive and eventually thrive:

- When the team doesn't win- I don't get the job/promotion- The marriage fails

Unreality?

Under house arrestDeserted

In constant painThreat of death

Rejoice in the Lord always! I'll say it again, rejoice!

"Celebrate God all day every day. I mean revel in him!"- Msg

How?Is Paul delusional?

I can do all things through him who strengthens me

The secret of contentmentIs not that I can endure

But that Christ will Strengthen me

As I trust him alone

In Jesus,

You have all that you needTo face all that will happenAs you go through all of life

When Jesus says "No…"

When the cancer spreads

If he/she doesn't change

Is Jesus enough…

King Asa trusted GodAnd won against a Vastly superior army

Then he got threatened again

King Asa decided to rob GodAnd make a pact with

An evil King

Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with

great numbers of chariots and horsemen?

Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to

strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him

- 2 Chron. 16:9

Contentment is the keyRegardless of the circumstances

Instead of saying, "I'll be OK as soon as

things change…"

We gotta know that in ChristWe'll have strength if they don't

Could it be…That we miss the blessings

Of experiencing Christ's strength

When we refuse to find contentment in trusting Jesus alone?

The secret is knowingYou can do all things

Through Christ who supplies Great strength

In Jesus,

You have all that you needTo face all that will happenAs you go through all of life

Pray, ask, seek

But determine that no matter what, you'll serve Jesus

And trust him alone

Where do you needTo surrender

And stop complainingAnd looking for a way outAnd instead trust Jesus?

Next SundayBack-to-School

Blessing of the childrenCookout after Church

Saturday, Sept. 6Carowinds Youth Trip

Able to Walk AroundWithout Constant Supervision